Leo et Cygnus
by Solora Goldsun
Summary: In a world filled with uncertainty, two lost souls are struggling to find their way: Weiss Schnee, a lonely heiress kept in a gilded cage, and Yang Xiao Long, an impulsive brawler who supports her family by fighting in makeshift rings for coin. In a single, chance encounter, their souls are bound together, setting them on the same path toward a better future. (Soulmate/Dæmon AU.)
1. The Lion's Brawl

**Hello, my lovelies! I'm here with another treat for you! So, Freezerburn Week has started on Tumblr, and the first prompt was "Soulmate AU." Back when this was first announced, I was in the process of re-reading one of my favorite series: Philip Pullman's** _ **His Dark Materials**_ **. In the world of this particular series, humans' souls walk alongside them as animal-formed, usually opposite-sex, dæmons. A dæmon acts as a companion as well as an extension of oneself. It's considered the greatest taboo imaginable to touch another person's dæmon, though it has been shown to be a pleasurable experience when two people in love do it.**

 **That got me thinking: "What if a soulmate was determined by a person's dæmon, who longed for the touch of that other person?" That's where this fic came from, and it ended up being a multi-chapter idea. I'd like to think of this story as a love letter to a series that has deeply affected me as a writer and as an atheist who does still believe in forces beyond our understanding, even if I don't believe in any gods.**

 **I hope you enjoy it!**

The worst part of any performance was that hush, that moment of silence between the rising of the curtain and the first notes of music, when everything seemed to be pressing against Weiss's inner ears and she entertained the crazy thought of just running from the stage and never looking back. Her face remained a serene mask. Only the slight fluttering of her dæmon's wings behind her hinted at her unease.

Then, the music started. Weiss started singing. Her dæmon's brief moment of panic was quickly forgotten by the few people who had even noticed it at all.

The song was a hymn, of course. So was the next one, and the next. When several high-ranking members of the Church were in attendance, one could expect little else. Finally, at the finale, Weiss braced herself as her dæmon leaped onto her back, clinging to the special attachment on her white dress, extending his wings slowly as she reached the final crescendo, making her look like an angel under the spotlight.

The best part of the performance was when it was happening, because it was easy to drown in doing exactly what had been practiced many times before. The second-best part was the applause, which was uproarious tonight.

The second-worst part was the aftermath, when it was time to return to Father.

Weiss took her time leaving the backstage area. A gentle nudge at her side caused her to turn and smile at her dæmon. "Well done as usual, Anmut."

"You do most of the work," the swan said, inclining his head. "I'm sorry I lost control at the beginning."

"It's fine," Weiss assured him. "No one saw."

Anmut's feathers ruffled nervously. " _She_ did."

Weiss stiffened, knowing that Anmut was referring to her father's dæmon. "I see." She stroked the swan's brow. "Well, let's try and behave ourselves at the party, and maybe Father won't say anything." She didn't have much hope for that, though.

By the time they reached the reception room, Weiss had re-applied her calm face, and Anmut was walking with a confident strut that he had grown into ever since settling into his permanent form. They approached Jacques Schnee and his dæmon, a wolf the color of cigarette ash, and bowed respectfully before taking their place at his side.

Jacques cleared his throat. "Weiss, you remember Bishop Alabastar."

Behind the two, the gray wolf bared her fangs at Anmut, who ducked his head submissively.

"Yes, Father," Weiss said, curtsying to the old bishop. "I hope you enjoyed the show, Bishop." Anmut came to her side to bow to the grizzled tabby cat dæmon, who just flicked her ears and gave him a haughty glare.

The bishop smiled. "I did. Truly, you were the picture of an angel at the end. Your dæmon certainly settled into a fitting form."

"Thank you, Bishop." She let out a quiet breath of relief when the bishop immediately turned his attention to Whitley, who stood stock-still at Jacques other side. His dæmon had taken the form of a white wolf and was currently sitting next to the gray wolf, trying to mimic her exact pose.

"And here is the young heir!" the bishop exclaimed. "You grow taller each time I see you." He glanced at the white wolf. "Your dæmon has finally settled?"

Whitley shook his head while Jacques let out a quiet cough. "No, sir. Demetria is still changing shape."

"Ah." The bishop watched as his tabby dæmon padded closer to inspect Demetria, who immediately shifted into the form of a white Persian cat and eagerly touched the other dæmon's nose with hers. "I see. A bit unusual to have a changing dæmon at your age, isn't it?"

"Your Honor, I'm sure this isn't the only case of a late change," Jacques cut in, his eyes steely. "My son certainly shouldn't be considered 'unusual' so quickly."

The gray wolf rumbled, her hackles rising. The tabby met her eyes for a full ten seconds before withdrawing, licking her forepaw.

"O-Of course, Mister Schnee," the bishop stammered, bowing his head. "I meant no offense."

"I'm sure you didn't," Jacques replied, his expression neutral again. "Now, if you'll excuse me." He nodded at Whitley, allowing his son to mingle on his own. Weiss, of course, was to stay at her father's side.

"Anmut seemed a bit distressed," he muttered as they walked. Behind them, Anmut walked sullenly, his head arched downward, not meeting the gray wolf's piercing yellow eyes.

"It was just a moment of stage fright," Weiss replied, refusing to place all the blame on her dæmon. "I sometimes get nervous before a performance."

"A Schnee must always be confident when in the public eye. Do you understand?" Jacques cocked an eyebrow while the wolf snarled.

"Yes, Father. It won't happen again." Weiss bowed her head while Anmut flinched away from the wolf's teeth.

"Good. Come, now. I would like you to meet the Arcs."

This was enough to pique Weiss's interest. The Arc family was rather infamous in the higher circles of society, especially those closest to the Church. She was surprised that they were here today.

Of course, Johann and Joan Arc were immediately recognizable. She had seen Johann's strong square jaw and piercing blue eyes in many news articles, and the woman who gazed adoringly at him could only be his soulmate.

Soulmate. That was where the controversy came from.

As they drew closer, Weiss felt her cheeks flushing at what she saw. Johann's dæmon, a sleek coyote, was pressing her head against Joan's leg. Meanwhile, Joan's sparrow dæmon was perched on Johann's shoulder as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

It was the greatest taboo imaginable to touch another person's dæmon. Only a husband and wife could be allowed such a privilege, but even then, it was rarely done in public. Then again, the idea of soulmates, along with other outdated pagan concepts, didn't allow for things like decency.

It honestly was borderline sickening to Weiss. Imagining someone laying hands on Anmut… She took a deep breath, repressing a deeply-buried memory that desperately needed to remain hidden.

She was so focused on the scandalous picture the Arcs painted, and her own discomfort, she almost didn't notice their son until he was right in front of her. He was smiling, though the rapid shaking of his squirrel dæmon's tail betrayed his nervousness.

"Hi," he said. "Er, I mean hello. I'm Jaune Arc, and this is Eliana. We really enjoyed your performance."

Weiss could feel her father glaring at the boy. It was customary for young people in such a setting to wait to be introduced by their parents. Still, wanting to be polite, she inclined her head. "Thank you. I'm Weiss Schnee, and this is Anmut."

Anmut was stiff and cold, which was how he usually acted around the dæmons of any men close to Weiss's age. Still, he did lower his head enough to inspect Eliana as the gray squirrel scampered down Jaune's side to stand on the floor in front of the graceful swan.

Jacques promptly engaged Johann in a conversation concerning the state of the Schnee Coal Mines, though the gray wolf kept her gaze fixed on Jaune and Weiss.

The young man rubbed nervously at the back of his neck, obviously out of place in this formal setting. People like the Arcs were a clear example of the fact that money didn't always equate to class and poise. Those who had the former, but lacked the latter two, were little more than pretenders.

Though, Jaune Arc didn't seem to be a pretender. In fact, the next moment, he quite honestly said: "I'm really not good with these parties. Think you could show me around? I mean, if you're not busy."

Weiss hesitated, weighing her options. The only way she could leave her father's side was if she was in the company of a young man from one of the other invited families. Would it be wise to take this first opportunity, and likely spend the majority of the evening with this overly-eager boy, or should she wait for someone a bit shallower, but also a great deal quieter, to escort her away.

In the end, she decided that being away from the cruel, yellow gaze of her Father's dæmon was worth whatever annoyance Jaune might bring. "You may escort me to the garden. It's just that way."

Jaune grinned, belatedly remembering to hold out his arm, which Weiss delicately took. Eliana climbed up his leg, up his back, and to her favorite position on his right shoulder.

Anmut suppressed an eyeroll. At events like this, smaller dæmons should wait to be picked up by their humans. Climbing in such a way was simply unsightly. He was glad that he was of a size that allowed him to easily walk alongside Weiss at all times.

Weiss, meanwhile, put on a practiced expression of mild interest as Jaune immediately started rambling. At first, she listened as he described the other parties he'd been to recently, and how the actual point of the fundraisers in question seemed to be lost in the festivities. As he started talking about the goings on in town, where he apparently had several less wealthy friends, Weiss's attention started to wander.

The ball seemed to be a moderate success. The charity, which was for the one of the Church's sponsored orphanages, was a very safe one to support, but didn't have the pizazz that brought in larger crowds. There were several people her age, and even a few who were younger and still had changing dæmons. A nearby girl's dæmon had just taken the form of a dozy golden retriever and was yawning loudly and obviously as she stood near her father, who appeared to be a scholar.

Anmut had only ever turned into a dog a handful of times, and those times had always ended with the gray wolf's fangs digging into the scruff of his neck, shaking him mercilessly. Servant dæmons settled as dogs, and Jacques would not tolerate his own daughter imitating them!

Klein was likely somewhere nearby, serving guests, his brown and white spaniel dæmon trotting at his side. They would probably seek Weiss out when this was all over, a tray of coffee and crumbly vanilla biscotti in hand.

"And everyone's hoping to get a glimpse of that witch," Jaune continued.

Immediately, Weiss stiffened and turned to stare openly at her companion, her heart pounding. "Did you say witch?"

At her feet, Anmut was standing with his neck fully extended, his feathers fluffing out in agitation.

"Yeah!" Jaune said, his smile widening at the interest his statement piqued. "I heard she arrived just today. No one knows what she wants, but she's gotten permission from the mayor to stay here for a month. Not sure where she's staying, but people have seen her flying around on her cloud pine. I hope I can see her before she goes, even if it's from a distance. I mean, how often do you get to see something like that, right?"

Weiss nodded, trying not to let her excitement show.

Witches were beings who lived in the far north, away from the growing influence of the Church, neighboring with the mighty panserbjørne, the armored ice bears. They rode the branches of trees known as cloud pine, and were said to have great powers of healing, prophecy, and even the ability to kill just by looking at a person. They lived for hundreds of years. Some said that they were like Faunus, and had no dæmons. Others said that their dæmons could go to the other side of the world without causing any pain or damage to either of the joined entity.

Of course, the Church had no love for the witches, largely due to the many people who fled north in order to be protected as they practiced their pagan beliefs, but there was little to be done against a group of beings so powerful. As long as they kept their business in the snowy lands of the north, it was likely that an uneasy peace between the two schools of thought would remain.

But Weiss wasn't thinking about spells, the Church, or even the prospect of a person flying on a branch of pine. Only one word rose in her mind, a name she was forbidden from speaking out loud under any circumstances.

 _Winter._

…..

A sheen of sweat coated tanned skin; tanned skin that was stretched over lean, tight muscles that had been hardened over the course of a short but strenuous lifetime. The only sound in the small room was an occasional gasp following the meaty thump of fists against a well-worn bag hanging from a creaky ceiling, and the steady scratch-scratch-screech of claws being sharpened.

Yang Xiao Long left yet another dent in her makeshift punching bag just as the scratching stopped and a low growl urged her to go get some water. "Yeah, yeah," she muttered, wiping her brow with a dirty cloth before walking toward the door, her lion dæmon striding calmly at her side, letting out a mighty yawn as he flexed his freshly-sharpened claws in and out.

The two walked past several houses in varying states of repair until they reached the nearest public pump. As usual, there was a line.

The lion, who was named Yong Shi, rumbled a wordless greeting to the rat dæmon who was cleaning her whiskers in front of them. Her nose twitched, and she flicked her tail politely before moving forward with her human.

Yang stretched her arms above her head, twining her fingers together and pulling until she felt a satisfying crack in her back. She was already feeling good about tonight. Her energy was high, and she had eaten well (relatively) the previous day. _And we'll eat even better once I win tonight! Just one more fight in this tournament, and we'll be rolling in money._

Yong Shi shook out his dusty mane, feeling every bit as confident as Yang. Of course, they were two parts of the same whole, one being in two bodies. Everything Yang felt, he felt, and visa versa, even during the times when one of them didn't want to admit it. That was the way things were, and always would be.

Their turn came, and Yang took the tin cup from the loose hook on the nearby post. Using one hand, she lifted and lowered the pump handle, rinsing the cup once before filling it and taking a drink. She forced herself to sip, knowing that gulping was a bad idea when she still had training to do. The water felt like a cooling balm spreading through her blood, making her realize just how dehydrated she had become. She dumped some on her face, wiping at the grime and sweat with an even grimier, sweatier hand. At Yong Shi's insistence, she worked the pump so that he could dip his head down, lapping at the stream and wetting his tangled mane. He stepped back, shaking droplets of water everywhere, then led the way back toward their home.

The Xiao Long house was in pretty good repair, largely because Taiyang hadn't had to pay as much for it initially. The reason, of course, was its location: It was the last human house before the border that separated the "civilized" part of town from the infamous Faunus District.

As they drew close, Yong Shi let out a chuff of greeting as the familiar form of Blake stepped from the shadow of the house. She withdrew a small packet from her pocket, handing it to Yang. "Here. Something extra for tonight."

Yang opened the packet, gasping as she saw the dried meat within. "Blake, don't you need to eat?"

"I'm fine." One of Blake's cat ears flicked in an unconcerned manner. "There's a lot of money at stake tonight. You need your strength."

Yang smiled. "Thanks, Blake." She knew it was no good forcing the issue, and that there was no real way to tell if Blake actually had eaten.

Faunus didn't have dæmons, after all. Instead, they each had a singular animal trait, which settled on them with the coming of adulthood in the same way a human's dæmon settled into one form. Yang was friends with many Faunus and was used to talking to people whose souls resided inside their bodies rather than outside, but sometimes she wished that her friends could have been born with dæmons. It would make them so much easier to read.

"Where's Ruby?" she asked.

"With Sun and Ilia," Blake said, rolling her eyes. "You know how much she loves jumping rooftops with them."

"Yep," Yang sighed. It would be a bit hypocritical to criticize her sister's dangerous pastimes, all things considered. "Just don't let Sun steal anything while Ruby's with him."

"Oh, he knows," Blake chuckled. "Trust me. If nothing else, he knows what you'll do to him if he gets Ruby in trouble."

"Good." Yang re-wrapped the meat, already trying to figure out a way to get some of it back to her Faunus friends, who needed it far more than she did. "Thanks for the food, Blake. I'll see you at the ring tonight?"

Blake nodded, her eyes glinting. "Wouldn't miss it. Later." She walked back into her home district, quickly vanishing in the shadows between buildings that would be considered condemned and unlivable in basically any other part of town.

Yong Shi nudged Yang's leg. "You'd better eat some of that," he growled. "Don't feel guilty. We can pay her back once we win tonight."

Yang relented, taking a strip of meat and tearing it off with her teeth. She ground the meat with her back teeth, tasting cheap spices and black pepper, which overshadowed what little of its original flavor still remained. _After I win tonight's fight,_ she thought. _I'll buy everyone a whole goddamn chicken. Dad will roast it in the oven. It'll be all juicy and greasy, with crispy skin and-_

"Stop!" Yong Shi groaned. "You're making me hungry!"

Yang's stomach growled. "No kidding," she muttered. "I guess that was a pretty _fowl_ thing to imagine, huh?"

Yong Shi huffed. "You aren't _lion_ about that!"

"Do you have a _beef_ with my fantasies?" Yang asked, waving one of the pieces of meat in the air.

"It just seems like a very _jerky_ thing to do when we're so hungry."

The two laughed, Yang doubling over and putting a hand on her dæmon's back to hold herself up. With that, most of the tension remaining in them fled, and they returned to the sweat-scented house to train some more.

…..

Weiss stood by her door, counting the footsteps of the servants, timing the moments of silence that signaled a departure down another hallway, and waited for the sound to return again, and for an indication of where it was returning from. Anmut's eyes were closed as he memorized every pattern with her.

Finally, taking a deep breath, Weiss slowly opened her door and slipped out. She wrapped her darkest, least conspicuous cloak around herself and pulled the hood over her head.

She waited until she knew one servant's footsteps would be seconds from the corner, and the other would just be leaving the hallway leading to the back entrance. Then, she ran. She had changed from her heels and wore a pair of soft shoes that would be useless for repelling water, but were perfect for hiding any noise.

Anmut ran quickly, but carefully, very aware of his webbed feet and having to flutter from rug to rug in order to remain silent.

They managed to get outside without incident, and paused in the shadow of a shrubbery cut to look like a horse. Weiss placed a hand over her heart, trying to steady her breathing. Anmut pressed against her side, shaking.

Neither one of them wanted to be outside. They knew what happened when a Schnee ventured anywhere without guards. Only one thing could outweigh the years-old fear: Winter.

When Weiss was only ten, her elder sister had fled from Schnee Manor, never to be seen again. Before leaving, Winter had explained that she was going north, and that she would contact Weiss when she was able. Her snowy owl dæmon had covered Anmut, in the form of a trembling mouse at that time, with his wing. Then, they were both gone. Weiss had heard nothing since then, and her father had made it very clear that any mention of Winter would lead to the worst kind of punishment imaginable.

It was around that time when Willow Schnee's drinking problem hit a new height. It was then that her ermine dæmon, who had apparently once been a fierce and proud creature, became sullen and withdrawn, passively allowing the gray wolf's touch in the same way a man imprisoned was forced to accept the unwelcome advances of a lustful, unscrupulous lawman.

Now, nearly eight years later, Weiss was suddenly presented with her best chance of receiving news of her sister: a witch from the north. Even if the witch had never met Winter, she could likely find out whether or not she was alive or dead. Surely, the Church would forgive a bargain with a witch under such circumstances. Witches weren't explicitly considered pagan, after all. At least not officially.

Still, moving was difficult. Weiss and Anmut were only able to leave their hiding place and make for the gates by being brave for each other. Weiss ignored her own fear, and focused on tending to Anmut. Likewise, Anmut refused to acknowledge his terror, and instead gentled Weiss with soft rubs of his head against her side. In that way, they reached the back gate, whose guard (along with his Rottweiler dæmon) was expectedly drunk, and made their way into town.

Once they were out, however, they realized something very important: They had no idea where to look for this witch! Did they just ask around? What reputable people would be out this late? Where did they even start?

"Let's just walk," Anmut urged. "We're not doing any good standing here."

So, the two walked down the night streets, away from the Manor and the surrounding estates, and into the town of Vale. It was like being in an entirely alien world, the strange, small houses crouching like hunting cats in the shadows, which hid piles of garbage, fences in shambles, and the occasional rat.

As they drew further from the Manor, stone roads turned to dirt, and the smell of unwashed flesh and sweat permeated the air. Weiss's nose wrinkled, and Anmut kept checking the ground to make sure they wouldn't step on something incredibly filthy or sharp. Weiss kept her gaze on the sky, which thankfully bore an almost-full moon.

They reached the other side of town without incident, before the sound of shouts in the distance caused them to turn down another shaded path. Already, Weiss's nerves were at their limit.

They were drawing close to the Faunus District, where _that incident_ had happened.

Anmut shuddered as his webbed feet walked the familiar path, but he let out a short honk of determination. They'd see if the witch was there, then turn around and go back before anyone could see them.

Weiss agreed, taking a deep breath and steeling herself for whatever they would find. Still, she was wholly unprepared when she turned that last corner and suddenly walked into air that was saturated with dirt and sweat. The smell hit her like a wall, and she brought her hand to her face.

A makeshift ring had been set up in what was clearly a garbage dump for the slummy part of town. Inside it, filthy people and filthy dæmons were beating each other senseless.

A young man swung a bandaged fist at his opponent while his wolverine dæmon shook a poor, hapless weasel like a ragdoll. The other human and his dæmon struggled and flailed, fists flying, white teeth flashing, but in the end, he collapsed and the weasel went limp in the wolverine's jaws.

A tall, buff man who was clearly the appointed announcer, raised his hand to the sound of many cheers and boos. Weiss could see money being exchanged between spectators, and there was a stack of wooden boxes, from which a mousy woman was handing out bet money.

"No witch here," Anmut muttered, his wings fluttering nervously. "Let's go."

"Gladly." Weiss turned to leave, only to freeze in fear. A pair of Faunus was walking down the path toward her. They were talking casually and didn't seem to have seen her.

Bile rose in her throat as she looked at their dæmon-less forms, and she ducked into the crowd with Anmut. Immediately, she realized what a bad idea that had been. The crowd pressed together in a smelly mass, not caring how close they got to the people around them. The only spaces in the crowd were where a dæmon stood near a human that wasn't theirs, and the two instinctively stood apart. Weiss didn't even think about breaching those spots. The taboo ran so deep, doing so would have been considered as threatening and invasive as reaching one's hand through another person's chest, if such a thing was possible.

She tried to move back into the open, but the crowd was surging forward, muttering eagerly. She caught snippets of "Big fight" and "Bet all my money on this one" and "Waiting for days!"

Peering over the shoulder of a shorter teen, Weiss saw what the commotion was about.

The man with the wolverine dæmon still stood in the ring, drinking water from a large metal cup. The wolverine's beady eyes were fixed on the two figures approaching. One was a young, muscular woman with sharp eyes and leather cuffs on her wrists. The other was a lean, growling lion dæmon who seemed to have substituted any of the natural majesty or pride one would expect from his species with an extra layer of viciousness. They walked together, their strides equally predatory, their expressions equally fierce.

Suddenly, Weiss felt a spirit-deep shock go through her, as if twin lances of near-molten metal were piercing her chest and something even deeper than her heart, something deep within her dæmon, who she placed a hand on now. In that moment, she was more aware of herself than ever before, of Anmut, of her own soul undergoing tremor after tremor of a strange, instinctive yearning.

At the same time, she became intimately aware of the girl with the lion dæmon. The dirt and sweat on them became little more than a superficial layer that, when cleaved away, would surely reveal something indescribably beautiful hidden beneath. The lion was suddenly more gorgeous than the most well-groomed, exotic of dæmons. His tawny fur seemed to glow with an inner light that belied his dusty, malnourished shape. Words like "vicious" and "ragged" turned to "determined" and "strong" in Weiss's mind.

Through it all, Weiss realized something that terrified her: She wanted, more than anything in the world, to touch the lion dæmon. She wanted to run her fingers through his dark mane, combing away the dirt and grime. She wanted to kiss his sand-colored brow and wrap her arms around his broad shoulders. Beside her, Anmut felt a similar longing, an aching need for the girl with the leather cuffs. He wanted her rough, calloused fingers to gently brush his head feathers, run down his slender neck, across his broad back…

Weiss shook herself, horrified. "Anmut," she hissed. "We need to leave, now!"

Anmut was still shaking. He could feel Weiss's horror battling with his desire, which was, of course, also her desire. "Weiss…"

"No, Anmut!" _These are the most impure of thoughts._

 _The girl, though! She's your-_

 _Don't even think it!_ Weiss's eyes were like cold fire. _Not now. Not after what happened before!_

Anmut shivered as the memories returned, reinforced by Weiss's fear. This, in the end, was what dragged him away from the front of the crowd.

But not before the lion saw him, saw _them_. Now in the middle of scuffling with the wolverine, he froze, suddenly forgetting where he was and what he was doing. All that was real in that moment was the small, slight girl in the cloak, a girl he suddenly wanted to protect with every ounce of his strength. At a glance, he could see a thousand warring qualities: pride, fear, determination, and a need to hide herself and her dæmon from everything around them.

Yang stumbled, feeling Yong Shi's sudden shift in attention, letting out a gasp as she felt the wolverine's jaws on his neck as well as the fist that hit the side of her head, causing tiny bells to ring in her brain. As she fell, she caught only a glimpse of white feathers, of dark eyes that already seemed to know her every bit as well as her own dæmon did. A deep, crushing fear filled her just as she lost consciousness.

Weiss didn't see the fall, and neither did Anmut. They were already pushing through the crowd, desperate to get away before anything else could happen. The cloak was stepped on by someone, and Weiss's white hair shone like a beacon in the night.

She struggled to put the hood back up, her heart hammering a panicked tempo against her ribs, when a hand grabbed her arm. She yanked herself away, Anmut hissing a warning, then stopped.

It was Jaune. His eyes were wide with surprise. He glanced once toward the ring, then back at Weiss. "Come on," he said, seeing the fear on her face. "I'll walk you back."

He hurriedly led her away. Behind them, a young fighter had just lost an important match. She would wake up hours later hating herself, hating the sound of her sister's rumbling stomach. She wouldn't think about what had caused her to lose right away, but the lion would.

The lion would know, even if his human didn't realize, that something far more valuable than a bag of gold from a fighting ring had just come into their lives.

 **This story is more of an AU than a crossover, as this world greatly deviates from Pullman's, and contains none of his characters. I liked the idea of Faunus not having dæmons, as that would give even more of a reason for humans to discriminate against them in this world.**

 **As for the names I chose, Anmut is a German word for grace and beauty. Yong Shi is derived from Chinese guardian lions. Shi means lion, and** **yǒngshì means warrior or hero. Eliana is a name of French origin that means light. I chose Demetria for Whitley because it seemed like a pretty name. I deliberately didn't name Jacques's dæmon, in reference to the main villain of** _ **His Dark Materials**_ **, whose dæmon was never named and was only referred to as "the golden monkey."**

 **As a fun activity for my readers, why don't you guys tell me in your reviews what form your dæmon would take if it was visible in our world? I think mine would either be a red fox (maybe silver-morph) or a crow, something intelligent, but small and inconspicuous.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	2. The Swan's Hesitance

**Greetings, everyone! We're back with another chapter of this beauty. I can't emphasize enough how fun it is to write in this style and in this type of AU.**

 **Trigger warning: There is a scene at the end of the chapter involving Willow and Jacques. It's the closest I've ever come to typing a rape scene. It isn't technically that from a physical standpoint, but the feelings involved are reminiscent of an assault, due to the nature of dæmons and the intimate nature of touching another person's dæmon. Just thought I'd let you know in case anyone wanted to skim or skip it.**

 **Enjoy!**

Weiss was silent for most of the walk back to the Manor. She could feel Jaune's curious gaze boring into her and was grateful that he at least had the decency to refrain from asking a bunch of questions. She knew that the silence would only last for a short while, of course, so decided to break it herself. "I am grateful for your assistance, Mister Arc."

"You can just call me Jaune," he told her. "Even my dad doesn't like being called Mister Arc. Says it makes him feel old."

Weiss nodded once in acknowledgement, falling silent again.

After a few minutes, Jaune spoke up again. "So, what's got you so interested in witches?"

Weiss stiffened. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

"Oh, please." Jaune rolled his eyes. "I know people think I'm dumb, but give me some credit. When I was talking to you tonight, you were totally zoned out till I mentioned the witch. Hours later, you're wandering around at night, when you obviously have never done so before. It's pretty obvious."

Weiss visibly deflated, mentally berating herself for being so transparent. "If you must know, I was hoping to get news from the north. I know someone who went there and was curious as to her whereabouts."

"That makes sense. A witch would definitely know something like that." As they drew closer to the Manor, Jaune stopped. "Well, we're pretty close now. You probably snuck out somewhere, so having me around might give you away. Besides, I need to head back and check on my friend."

"Your friend?"

Jaune nodded. "Yeah. The girl in the ring with the lion dæmon. She got knocked out just when I found you."

Weiss was shocked at the sheer horror she felt. "Are injuries in that arena usually serious?"

"Sometimes, but it depends on the…" Jaune trailed off, noticing something about Weiss's expression and the nervous demeanor of her dæmon. It went far beyond the basic concern one would feel for someone they don't know. "Do you know her too?"

"What?! Of course, not!" Weiss huffed. "I've never seen her before in my life. I was just concerned."

Jaune frowned. "Yong Shi got really distracted all of a sudden…" His eyes widened. "Weiss, did you feel anything weird when you looked at the arena?"

Weiss was silent. She still didn't understand the emotions that had gone through her and her dæmon, and even if she did, she wouldn't feel comfortable sharing something so personal with this boy, good-natured as he was.

Eliana scampered down Jaune's leg and approached Anmut, who hesitated before nodding his head. She chattered excitedly. "Oh, congratulations!" she exclaimed.

Jaune's frown turned to a grin. "Well, how about that? You go looking for a witch and find your soulmate!"

"Shut up!" Weiss hissed. "Don't say that!"

Jaune balked. "Hey, it's nothing to be angry about. I'm kinda jealous, honestly. I've been hoping to find mine ever since my parents told me what it's like."

"And what is it like?" Weiss asked, folding her arms. "Touching each other's dæmon's in public with no regard for common decency…what kind of madness even leads to something like that?"

Jaune flinched, looking hurt, and Weiss immediately felt bad. "I apologize. That was rude of me."

"It's fine," Jaune muttered. "What are you so scared of, anyway?"

Weiss rolled her eyes. "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but my family has a very privileged position, largely due to its association with the Church and its higher-ups. Soulmates are a pagan concept."

"It's not, though," Jaune insisted. "It's a thing that happens, no matter what religion you practice. All humans and witches have soulmates. Faunus do too, but they can't really tell since they don't have dæmons. I guess if a Faunus had a human soulmate, that'd be a way to figure it out…"

"Well, since you're such an expert, what should I do about this?" Weiss asked. "How do I make this go away?" _How do I forget what happened, and stop seeing that lion in my mind?_

"You can't." Jaune shrugged. "A soulmate is the person you're meant to be with for life, the person who will always understand you more than anyone else. If I was lucky enough to find mine, I'd try to be with them as much as possible."

Weiss tapped her foot nervously. "I'm not saying I will…but, if I asked you to help me go into town sometime to potentially see her again…"

"No problem!" Jaune grinned. "We should probably wait a day, though. She's gonna need to recover. Speaking of which…"

"Of course." Weiss nodded her head. "Go make sure she's well. I've kept you long enough. Thank you again for your help, Mi- I mean, Jaune."

Jaune smiled. "No problem. I'll drop by later. I'm sure my parents can arrange something, so your dad'll let me escort you around town." He waved over his shoulder as he walked away. Eliana scampered up his leg and side, even as he moved, her claws well-practiced at such a maneuver.

Once they were gone, Weiss looked at Anmut. "What do you think?"

"You know what I think."

She did, of course. The pull they had felt to this girl, Yang, and her lion dæmon had been too deep, too wonderful to ignore. They would seek the two out, if only to see them one more time and settle their minds on the matter of never going near them again.

When they finally snuck back into Weiss's room, Weiss was ready to collapse on her bed until morning. She walked by the window, noticing the shadow of a large bird on her sill. Slowly, she drew the curtains back, expecting to see an owl.

It wasn't an owl. It was a red-tailed hawk. Before Weiss could even wonder what a hawk was doing out at night, she realized that this wasn't an animal.

Next to her, Anmut let out a hiss. "A dæmon!"

Weiss stiffened, her throat going dry at the sheer wrongness of what she was seeing. A dæmon was sitting outside her window. Alone. Without its human anywhere in sight. There'd might as well be a ghost haunting the Manor!

The hawk turned around, jumping a little with surprise when it saw the human and swan on the other side of the glass. It quickly recovered, however, and politely pecked on the window, cocking its head.

Weiss and Anmut exchanged a glance. "What should we do?"

"He looks like a normal dæmon," Anmut muttered. Then, he remembered something. "Weiss, aren't there stories about witch dæmons being able to fly far away from their witch?"

That was all Weiss needed to open the window and let the hawk in. He walked into the room, the picture of grace and dignity, and bowed his head toward Anmut.

"I'm sorry. I must have given you quite a fright. My name is Hermes. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," Weiss replied a little shakily. She quickly sat down at her desk, feeling rather faint. "Um, my name is Weiss Schnee, and this is Anmut."

"I know," Hermes replied. "My witch dreamed of you."

Weiss's heart nearly stopped. "Was she sent by my sister? Winter?" She said her sister's name in the barest whisper, still very aware of the forbidden nature of the word.

"I'm afraid not," Hermes replied. "You have a sister up north?"

"Yes," Weiss sighed, staring at the ground. "I hoped to find you and ask for news of her, but…"

"Oh, we can find out!" Hermes said calmly. "A simple scrying spell will do the trick. We'd be happy to help, since you'll be helping us."

"I will?" Weiss frowned, suspicion clouding the thrill that had just gone through her. "What do you need me to do?"

"Absolutely nothing!" Hermes said with a gentle, musical laugh that sounded odd coming from such a fierce, sharp beak. "Or maybe something you don't know yet. You see, my witch and I are seeking our soulmate."

Weiss stiffened. _Soulmates again?!_ "How could I possibly help with that?"

"Well, after a witch's soulmate comes of age, the witch has a dream telling her where to look," Hermes explained. "Witches live for hundreds of years, so it's common for a soulmate to not come around for several centuries. Luckily for us, we only had to wait one century for ours. Anyway, my witch dreamed of you. We wondered if you were our soulmate, but since I didn't feel the bond when I saw you, I suppose you're the one meant to lead me to whoever it is."

"Why don't you just dream of whoever your soulmate is?" Weiss asked.

"That sometimes happens," Hermes allowed. "My guess is that we dreamed of you, because we have another task besides finding our soulmate. Perhaps telling you about your sister is that task."

Weiss tried to steady her heartbeat. So much was happening at once. Next to her, Anmut ruffled his feathers in agitation. "When can you do the… What was it?"

"Scrying spell," Hermes repeated. "At the moment, we're focused on finding our soulmate. Once we do, however, we'd be more than happy to help you with whatever you need. We have a month in this town, after all."

"Very well," Weiss sighed. "I'll do what I can to help."

Hermes flapped his wings excitedly. "Oh, thank you! I knew from seeing you in that dream that you'd help. You have a very kind heart."

Weiss wasn't sure about that. She had been called many things over the course of her life: beautiful, doll-like, graceful. Never before had she been called kindhearted.

Now this dæmon, on the other hand, already seemed to be the most warmhearted, open, kindly creature Weiss had ever met. If he was any indication, his witch was probably the most delightful person one could ever have the pleasure of knowing. He was also very straightforward, a trait Weiss certainly appreciated.

Out loud, she only said: "Thank you."

Hermes looked at the sky. "Well, I'd better leave. You humans need much more sleep than witches do, after all. Goodnight, Weiss Schnee. Goodnight, Anmut." He bowed courteously to each of them.

"Goodnight, Hermes," Weiss replied, bowing politely. "Give my regards to your witch."

"I shall. Until we meet again." With a rustle of feathers, the hawk flew out the window and was quickly lost from sight as he flew higher and higher until the clouds hid his red feathers completely.

Weiss closed the window, feeling numb and lightheaded, as if she was just waking up from a dream. She looked down at Anmut, who looked equally-addled. "What do we do, Anmut?"

"Sleep," the swan replied immediately. "We're both dreadfully tired."

That was, without a doubt, the best idea of the night.

…..

Yang couldn't meet her father's eyes that morning, even as he dabbed the swollen bump on the back of her head with a damp cloth. She stared down at her hands, a glare fixed on her face. At her feet, Yong Shi's tail lashed back and forth while Taiyang's gentle-eyed doe dæmon licked the bite wounds on his neck.

A pair of familiar feet skipped from the kitchen. "I'm off to the market!" Ruby chirped. "Need anything that isn't on the list?"

"No, sweetie," Taiyang said with a smile. "Hurry home, okay?"

"Yes, Dad." Ruby leaned over to hug Yang.

She was smiling, smiling as if her sister hadn't just cost the family the biggest pay day they could hope for. Yang couldn't stand looking at it.

Baynar, Ruby's excitable dingo dæmon, nuzzled Yong Shi's cheek before leading his human out the door. The only hint he gave at his hunger and concern was the fact that his tail wasn't wagging.

Once they were gone, Taiyang put the rag into the bowl and sat back. "So, what happened?"

Yang looked up. "Huh?"

Taiyang smiled gently. "Sweetheart, you had that fight. Something distracted both you and Yong Shi. What was it? Did someone threaten you recently?"

Yang shook her head. "No, it wasn't that. It…I don't know, Dad!" She put her face in her hands, her head still spinning too much to say much.

Yong Shi sat up and started talking quietly to the doe, who listened intently. Taiyang listened to his dæmon's thoughts as she relayed the conversation to him. At the end, he gasped.

"You saw your soulmate in the crowd!" His face lit up. "Yang, that's wonderful! What did they look like?"

"I didn't see much," Yang muttered. "Her dæmon's a swan."

"A swan, huh?" Taiyang scratched his chin. "Can't say I've ever seen anyone with a swan dæmon. Maybe they're new in town. I'll ask around today."

"How can you be so happy?" Yang asked, looking up at him. "I screwed up! We'll be eating beef jerky until I can fight my way up the chart again."

"Hey," Taiyang placed a hand on Yang's shoulder. "If I had it my way, you wouldn't be going to that arena at all. The only reason I allow it is because hunting hasn't been great lately, and we need the money. This is what happens when you have a source of income determined by something like a split-second decision or a lucky hit: Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I will never be angry with you for losing a fight, and neither will Ruby. You've already won plenty of fights and made us enough money to get us through the winter. We can survive until you get up there again. We're survivors. Just stop feeling guilty and start thinking about how you can do better next time."

Finally, a smile came to her face. "Thanks, Dad."

Yong Shi purred as the doe dæmon nuzzled his brow.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door before Jaune burst in. "Yang! You're awake! I came by last night, but you were still out cold." He had a basket in his hand, which he placed on the table. "There's some herbs in here that should help with the swelling. Also, we had a bunch of bread and meat that my sisters snitched from that ball we were at last night."

Yang snorted. "Leftover yuppy food. My favorite." She grinned. "Thanks, Jaune."

Jaune sat down next to her, still beaming. "I got more news!" Eliana was running back and forth across his back between his shoulders.

"Uh, you found gold buried under the house that legally belongs to us?" Yang asked.

"That would be cool, but no!" Jaune put a hand on Yang's shoulder. "I know who your soulmate is!"

Yang's back stiffened, and she felt a combination of excitement and terror. "How?"

"I met her at the ball, and she was at the fight last night," Jaune explained.

"Did she have a swan dæmon?"

"Yep!" Jaune said. "It's Weiss Schnee!"

Yang fell back on the sofa with a groan. "Great. My soulmate's the spoiled princess daughter of the most crooked businessman in Remnant."

"Now, Yang," Taiyang scolded. "Don't judge someone you've never met."

"Yeah," Jaune insisted. "I met her."

"And, what's she like?"

Jaune paused thoughtfully. "Honestly, I can't tell yet."

"That's encouraging," Yang muttered.

Eliana let out a chirp. "I like Anmut. He just doesn't seem used to making friends. He was nice to me whenever I talked to him."

"She's scared." It was Yong Shi who spoke, sitting up slowly. "I could feel that when I first saw her. She's used to hiding herself."

"She was pretty scared when I told her that you two were soulmates," Jaune remembered. "But, she still wants to meet you."

"She does?" Yang frowned. She had never been overly sure about this whole soulmate concept. It seemed weird that you could just meet a person and suddenly be destined to be together forever. Wasn't there any choice involved? Was she going to fall in love with this girl, no matter what happened.

 _I guess I have to meet her, though,_ she thought. Yong Shi would never rest until they did, after all.

"Okay," she said out loud. "Where and when am I meeting this girl?"

…

It was dinnertime, and the Schnee family sat at a table that was far too long to allow for comfortable conversation. People at opposite ends of the table were forced to raise their voices if they wanted to be heard. Since women weren't supposed to raise their voices, that suited Jacques perfectly.

He sat at the head of the table, with Whitley on his right side. The gray wolf sat at his feet, her ears perked forward, her yellow eyes sharp. Demetria was lying on the ground in the form of a white wolf once again.

Willow sat at the other end of the table, closest to the fireplace due to her sensitivity to the cold. Her ermine dæmon, Varian, was wrapped around her neck like a fur collar, his black eyes shut. To her left was Weiss, who always too this seat rather than the one on Willow's right, where Winter used to sit. It was the only way she had found to get away with acknowledging her sister's absence.

Klein and his spaniel dæmon, Sonja, served Jacques and Whitley first before coming to the other end of the table. The spaniel paused by Anmut, who bowed his head so that the dog could lick his cheek. Weiss felt a ghost of the comforting gesture, a fatherly kiss she would never receive from her own father.

As she looked at her mother, she noticed that Varian's eyes had opened at Klein's approach, though they closed quickly when Weiss looked at him

"Jaune Arc came to call this afternoon." Jacques didn't touch his food, which meant that none of the family was allowed to take a bite yet.

Weiss assumed a mask of polite interest, even as her heart thudded far too loudly for her comfort. "Was he here to compliment the ball?"

"Yes, among other things," Jacques folded his hands. "It would seem that you made a good impression on him. He wishes to spend tomorrow afternoon with you."

Weiss waited to see if he would say more. She had to tread carefully. Showing too much interest may make Jacques refuse to let her go, if he already hadn't made that decision based on the Arc family's reputation.

"What did you tell him?" she finally asked.

"I told him to be here at two o'clock sharp tomorrow, and to have you home by five. You will also need a chaperone."

Weiss's heart sank just as Klein cleared his throat.

"Sir, might I volunteer? I will be done washing up from lunch by then."

Jacques considered for a moment, then nodded. "Very well, Klein." He then fixed Weiss with a stern glare, one that the gray wolf echoed as she looked at Anmut. "It is good for you to learn how to be courted, but don't get attached to this boy. I want to marry you off to someone from a respectable family."

Weiss nodded, even as her stomach twisted at the thought of marriage, at the thought of how she'd likely be given over to some pompous man just like father in the near future. Anmut pressed close to her and trembled, already imagining an unwanted husband's hands reaching for him.

"Yes, Father. I understand," she said out loud. It was clear what Jacques was asking for. He wanted her to lead Jaune on, and hopefully get on his rich family's good side, before gracefully backing off once some money had circulated. That was easy enough to understand.

Jacques's mustache quirked with what seemed to be satisfaction. At his side, the gray wolf lay down on the carpet, relaxed at last. Jacques finally took a bite, allowing the rest of his family to finally eat.

The next day, Whitley was snickering as he followed Weiss down the hall. "I don't envy you. Playing games with that scrawny boy. I wonder if Father is punishing you.

 _I wouldn't be the one to talk about being scrawny,_ Weiss thought. Next to her, Anmut hissed at Demetria, who turned into a little white mouse, which Whitley quickly picked up. He didn't say anything more after that.

Klein and Jaune were waiting for her at the door. The two had already gotten acquainted, and seemed to be getting along, though Jaune shot Weiss a nervous look over the butler's shoulder. On his shoulder, Eliana was twitching. Weiss smiled comfortingly as she held out her hand. "Mister Arc." Calling him by his first name within potential earshot of Jacques would be a very bad idea.

"Miss Schnee," Jaune replied, bowing somewhat awkwardly and stiffly before holding out his arm. He led her down the path away from the house, Klein trailing a few feet behind.

"What are we going to do now?" he muttered as they walked ahead.

"Don't worry," Weiss replied. "Klein is my friend, and he never liked Father. He will probably understand."

"Understand what?"

The two jumped guiltily, looking behind them to see that Sonja had moved ahead of Klein and had listened eagerly with her large, floppy ears.

Anmut shared a glance with Weiss before entering a hushed conversation with the dog, who nodded and fell back. "She says Klein will go to the market once we're further into town. He'll meet us by the butcher's shop at 4:30," he muttered aloud for Jaune's benefit.

"Good plan," Jaune said as Eliana's tail drooped with relief. "Let's walk further in before we take the route toward Yang's place."

"Very well." Weiss noted that the town, while still strong of smell, was no longer as intimidating as it had been at night. "Is Yang well?"

"Physically, yes," Jaune said. "She's still beating herself up for losing that fight. There was good money at stake there."

"Do these…brawls make a decent sum of money?" Weiss wondered.

"To the people in that neighborhood, any money is good money," Jaune explained. "And Yang's one of the best fighters. She probably would've won if Yong Shi hadn't gotten distracted."

Weiss assumed Yong Shi was the lion. "And what distracted- Oh!" She stopped walking, a horrible realization hitting her. "It was my fault, wasn't it?"

"Not really," Jaune pointed out. "There was no way to know what would happen, after all. Besides, you may have never met her otherwise."

Weiss continued to walk with Jaune, though her heart was sinking lower and lower. "Maybe she doesn't want to meet me, all things considered."

"Don't be silly," Jaune huffed, though he couldn't help but remember how apprehensive and hesitant Yang had been the other day. "She's really excited."

Anmut noticed the way Eliana's tail curled around Jaune's neck. _Liar…_ he thought, his wings drooping.

"Oh, there's one more thing," Jaune said, suddenly remembering something. "You already know about soulmates being allowed to touch each other's dæmon's right?" He completely missed the way Weiss flinched. "Well, it turns out that's how you establish the soul bond. Once you touch the other person's dæmon, you can read that person better than anyone. How cool is that?"

"I…have no words…" Weiss muttered, her throat tightening and going dry. _Maybe, there's a way to go back home without Jaune noticing._

They rounded a corner, and she came to a full halt, her eyes narrowing. "I cannot go a step further," she said firmly. Her eyes, and Anmut's, were fixed on the entrance to the Faunus District, just a few yards down the road.

"But, Yang's house is right there."

"I can't go near the Faunus District," Weiss said, her voice cold.

Jaune gave her a long look, then sighed. "Okay, I'll bring Yang over here. Just sit tight for a second." He walked the rest of the way and entered the small house at the end of the road.

Weiss's entire body was as tense as the string of a violin. She bent down to put a hand on Anmut's back, not trusting anyone, not trusting that a hand wouldn't reach out and-

"There they are," Anmut breathed. His feathers fluttered, and Weiss felt that bone-deep longing return. As she looked up, it deepened into an extra layer over her heartbeat, which grew faster and faster by the second.

No longer in fighting gear, Yang wore shorts pants that were entirely too short, and a brown jacket that was entirely too long. Brown gloves were on her hands, and her messy yellow hair had been pulled back into a ponytail. At her side, the lion dæmon was staring at Weiss with amber eyes that seemed to have forgotten how to blink. They were beautiful.

Thankfully, neither Weiss nor the swan heard what their soulmate was saying just then.

"What do you mean, she won't go near the Faunus District?" Yang grumbled. "Does she think they'll bite?"

"Maybe! I don't know," Jaune shrugged helplessly. "She refused to come any closer."

"Well, maybe I refuse to go any closer. How about that?"

"Yang!" Yong Shi's voice was a low, stern growl. "Our soulmate's fear is what drove you apart before. I won't let your arrogance do the same thing now."

"It's your arrogance too," Yang muttered.

"Yes, and my arrogance is currently telling me to either walk over there right now with you at my side, or to drag you forcefully."

Yang snorted. "Wouldn't that be a sight? Me getting dragged by my own dæmon." In the end, she decided to walk on her own.

As she drew closer to the girl, as she got a good look at her for the first time, she was both intrigued and afraid. Intrigued because of how strange and otherworldly Weiss's beauty was. This was a daughter of one of the wealthiest men in the world. Her hair, her clothes, her skin, everything was perfectly clean, pale, and soft. It was enough to make Yang mentally pull herself in, hoping that her mind could reduce her large bust, her thick thighs, and her too-muscular arms. The fear came because of just _how_ beautiful she found this young woman to be.

 _This is all Yong Shi,_ she told herself, noting how the lion was practically vibrating in his desire to get closer. _And you just find her pretty. Nothing wrong with that. You aren't falling in love in one second. That's stupid._

The two pairs stood a few feet apart, each sizing the other up. It was Weiss who finally broke the silence. "H-Hello," she said, hating how quiet and tremulous her voice sounded. "My name is Weiss Schnee, and this is Anmut." How on earth could she compare to this woman, who was so strong, so confident, so vibrant. It was like there was a tiny sun inside Yang's chest, illuminating her from within, burning the dirt and grime on her skin into irrelevance.

Yang felt a pang at the slight waver in Weiss's voice, and knew that Yong Shi's desire to keep this girl safe was hers as well. "Hey," she said. "I'm Yang, and that's Yong Shi." She took a deep breath and forced a grin as she let it out. "It's really Weiss to meet you."

Next to her, Yong Shi snickered. "Really, Yang?" he muttered. "Shouldn't you ease into the jokes?"

"Excuse me if I have a Schnee-stym for meeting people," Yang said, folding her arms and sticking out her tongue.

The corner of Weiss's lip quirked. "That…wasn't even punny."

Anmut tossed his head, letting out a honk of laughter, which elicited a delighted rumble from Yong Shi, who batted lightly at the swan with a large paw.

Yang laughed out loud, Weiss finally was able to smile fully and genuinely, and Jaune let out a sigh of relief. It looked like everything would be okay, after all.

Still grinning, Yang held her hand out toward Anmut. "This is the next thing, right?"

Anmut's good humor immediately faded, and he shied away from Yang's hand with a sharp hiss.

Yang jumped back, pulling her hand away, the corners of her eyes prickling. Had she done something wrong? Jaune had told her what to do. She shot a glare over her shoulder at Jaune, who shrugged helplessly.

Weiss's heart was racing, fear coating it with a tingly, burning substance that caused her breaths to come short. "I…" She swallowed loudly. "I can't…not…not yet…"

The hurt feeling that had started bubbling in Yang faded in the face of the fear she could see. Weiss's pupils were like pinpricks, and Anmut was trembling in a way no swan should. Yong Shi longed to reach out to the swan and comfort him, but held himself back.

"That's fine," Yang said quickly, managing to smile again. "It seems a bit quick to do it on the first meeting anyway, right?" Secretly, she was relieved. She wasn't sure how much she wanted anyone, much less someone she had just met (regardless of how beautiful she was) to know all about her.

"Right," Weiss said with a shaky nod. "I'm glad you understand."

Her mind, and Anmut, were full of unseen turmoil. Terrifying flashbacks threatened to rise to the surface, and they would only be drawn out more if this continued. Weiss realized this, even as she knew that she couldn't keep away. Now that she could truly see Yang and Yong Shi, she knew deep in her heart that they needed each other. She didn't know how or why, but she knew it in the same way one knows fire is hot and the sun is bright.

But what if she was destined to ruin this? What if this was a cruel joke, far beyond any puns, whose punchline involved Weiss spoiling everything before she could even understand what was happening?

…

Varian did not fight. He never did anymore.

There had been a time when he would bare his tiny, sharp fangs at Jacques as that hated hand reached for him, when he would hiss and spit and dare that man to come any closer. There was a time, even earlier than that, when he would not have done so, when he would have gladly accepted the occasional touch from that smooth, freezing hand.

There had been a time when Jacques and Willow came together in what Willow and Varian thought was an act of love. Varian would playfully tussle with the gray wolf, squeaking and writhing as her large tongue licked his fur.

Now, he knew it was all a lie. Worse still, he knew there was nothing to be done about it. Willow was a woman. She was the wife of a successful man. She was the property of a successful man.

The alcohol helped. It dulled Willow's senses, so she didn't feel as much when these nights came.

Varian felt it, though. He felt it and despised it.

He shivered, scrunching his eyes shut as Jacques touched him, stroking his white fur with fingers that would gladly squeeze his throat if he did something wrong.

Willow bit her lip, whimpering at the familiar sensation of being violated, of having someone she hated touch the deepest part of her, having him grasp at her very soul while she was powerless to do anything. Her mind was dull to anything except self-loathing. She knew her dæmon hated being molested like this, and here she was allowing it.

Worse still, she was submitting to the man doing it, and caressing his dæmon the way she should have been gentling her own. Her hand was buried in fur that looked and smelled of cigarette ash. She stroked her husband's dæmon, aware that the wolf's muzzle bore a self-satisfied smile.

Stroke, stroke, stroke. Another touch in her deepest of depths. Another finger probing within.

Jacques picked Varian up, and the feeling of wrongness almost prompted the ermine to attack. Only knowledge of what would happen to his beloved Willow if he dared such a thing kept him under control.

Varian was brought to the hated man's chest. He felt the pressure of those fingers increase, just for a moment, pressing into him.

Willow gasped, her hand flying to her heart.

Jacques didn't loosen his grip. "Did I tell you to stop?"

The gray wolf growled, her fur bristling until that shaking hand started stroking it again.

Stroke, stroke, stroke.

Varian did not fight.

With her free hand, Willow reached for a half-empty bottle of wine and brought it to her trembling lips.

 **That last bit was a bit uncomfortable for me to type, but I wanted to stay true to the nature of dæmons. I drew a lot from a scene in** _ **His Dark Materials**_ **, when a character's dæmon is forcibly handled and she feels the greatest sense of violation and wrongness she has ever known. In a way, though, I felt that this scene was even worse, as Willow has to be complacent and doesn't even have the option to struggle, along with the fact that what she's going through is drawn out and is more explicitly sexual in nature than what happened in the books. There will be other moments of that nature, and I'll be sure to put warnings at the beginnings of those chapters as well.**

 **As you've probably guessed, this story isn't just going to be a romance story. I intend to delve more into Willow and Whitley and make this partially a story about the Schnees seeking freedom from Jacques, spurred by Weiss's increasing desire to escape, which will be brought on by her encounters with Yang. Stay tuned for more drama, romance, and angst. Yes, there will be angst.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	3. The Hawk's Wisdom

**Greetings, everybody! We're back with another chapter of my new favorite fic. Expect some angst in this chapter, along with…um… Yeah, okay this one is mostly angst.**

 **Enjoy!**

With Klein's help, Weiss was easily able to lie her way to another afternoon with Jaune. Later on, when she asked Klein why he was so ready to help her without question, he had replied rather vaguely.

"What is happening to you is very important, Weiss. I would never rob you of that."

She wanted to ask if Klein had a soulmate but didn't think it was polite to inquire something so personal.

She did agree that what was happening was important. The need she felt to be closer to Yang was undeniable, and more than a little frightening. Worse still was the fact that there had been a part of her, a small part but a part nonetheless, that had wanted to let Yang touch Anmut. Right there, on the street, with the Faunus District in plain sight.

When she thought about it, she wondered if she would ever allow Yang to touch Anmut, or if they were doomed to be a pair of mated souls that could never truly establish their apparent connection. If this part was so difficult, was it possible that they weren't even compatible?

Weiss suspected that was the case, especially near the end of her second meeting with Yang.

The afternoon had gone well until then. Yang had introduced Weiss to her dad and Ruby, who had both been thrilled to meet her. Ruby's dingo dæmon had run in circles around Anmut, yapping with excitement. When Weiss apologized for distracting Yong Shi during the fight, everyone waved it off, especially Yang.

"Listen, I won't let anyone take the blame for me screwing up," she said firmly. "So, no feeling guilty, okay?"

She grinned a crooked, easygoing grin that Weiss was already beginning to love.

Yang, on the other hand, was filled with a thousand conflicting emotions. Her instant attraction to Weiss warred with her fear of becoming committed to someone who was of a higher class than her, someone who would inevitably have to leave her. The dizzying pleasure of being close to Anmut battled with her hatred at the idea of being manipulated by some kind of weird dæmon magic.

Her emotions showed in Yong Shi, whose main bristled and who growled softly under his breath, even as the sight of Weiss soothed him. He knew these feelings for Weiss were natural, but Yang was taking a bit longer to figure it out.

That was normal, of course. Sometimes, the soul realizes something long before the human does.

It all came into question when three of Yang's friends emerged from the Faunus District that afternoon, all of whom eager to meet their friend's new soulmate.

Weiss was petrified when she saw them approach. She shook even as the cat-eared girl hugged Yang and the monkey-tailed boy grinned, his expression all friendliness and familiarity. The only one who looked somewhat human was the brown-haired girl, who had no obvious Faunus traits. However, seeing the lack of a dæmon combined with those qualities almost made her the most horrifying of all.

Still, she managed a smile when they introduced themselves. Anmut was rigid with the effort it took to not express any fear or disgust. The only comfort was that these Faunus didn't get too close to the swan. If they had done that, Weiss didn't think she could have held it together.

Yang noticed the change in Weiss's demeanor, and she did not like it. She noted the stiffness in the heiress's posture when she shook hands with Sun, Blake, and Ilia. Yong Shi saw how Anmut had moved back a few steps, so that Weiss partially shielded him from the three Faunus.

The five ended up sitting outside near the pump in a bunch of tattered chairs that had been left out. The tension in the air was palpable.

Besides Weiss's fear and Yang's anger in response to her soulmate's apparent disgust in her friends, there was also Blake, who was very familiar with the Schnee family's anti-Faunus stance, and Ilia, whose parents had died while working for the Mining Company, leaving her with barely enough money to bury them.

Only Sun maintained a cheerful attitude, though it was edged with desperation as he tried again and again to pierce through the growing haze of discomfort that surrounded the group.

"So, I heard you sang at this charity ball recently," he said to Weiss. "How'd that go?"

"It went well," Weiss replied. "Since it was for the Church, I was singing hymns."

"What are those parties usually like?"

"Oh, it's mostly people talking," Weiss admitted. "There is dancing at the end of the night, though I rarely participate."

"Is it because your dæmon has webbed feet?" Sun asked, grinning as he attempted a joke.

Weiss frowned. "Anmut is very graceful, actually." When Sun glanced downward, she belatedly realized that he had been trying to make a joke and tried to gentle her tone. "The reason is that I am not allowed to leave Father's side without an escort," she explained. "And, most people are intimidated by my father's dæmon."

"That sounds boring," Sun said bluntly.

"It really is," Weiss sighed. Realizing that she probably shouldn't be so vocal about her complaints against her father, especially in front of these Faunus she had just met, she quickly changed the subject, asking Yang for more details concerning the rules surrounding the street brawls.

For a little while, things went well. Then, when Weiss excused herself to get some water, she walked a little too close to Sun's chair. She felt a brush of fur against her wrist, and a shock went through her, one that was so intense, she nearly fainted on the spot. The instant she realized what had happened, she sprang away, holding her hand to her chest as if it had been burned.

It might as well have been burned, considering what it had touched.

Yang stood up too, her eyes blazing, indignation dripping from her mouth. "For the love of God, Weiss! He doesn't have fleas!"

Weiss's heart was pounding so loudly, she barely heard what Yang had said. Next to her, Anmut was shaking, making tiny sounds of distress in his throat. "I…I…" She looked at the faces of the four people around her, who all looked suddenly very hostile. "I need to find Jaune."

With that, she hurried off, Anmut rushing after her.

"Weiss, wait!" a booming voice followed her. Judging by the pang in her chest, it had been Yong Shi trying to call her back, but she didn't care. She just needed to get away before she broke down completely.

She stumbled into Jaune at the market, thankfully at the edge where there were fewer people. He caught her, immediately concerned when he saw her trembling. "What happened?"

Eliana scampered down Jaune's leg and hurried over to Anmut, who allowed her to climb onto his back, where she curled up and stroked his wings with her fluffy tail.

"I…I…" Weiss took a breath, trying desperately to regain her composure. "I met Yang's Faunus friends, and I touched his tail."

"You touched Sun's tail?" Jaune's brows furrowed with confusion. "Why?"

"I didn't mean to!" Weiss insisted. "I brushed it by mistake!" Her heart kept sinking lower and lower. "I'm so used to looking out for other people's dæmons, but I never interact with Faunus, so I-"

"Hold on!" Jaune cut in. "What about dæmons?"

"The taboo, of course!" Weiss covered her face. "I'm always so worried about…about…" She shook her head. "And then, I was careless enough to touch his tail."

"Weiss…" Jaune put a hand on Weiss's shoulder, finally realizing what had happened. "You do know that a Faunus's animal feature isn't the same as a human's dæmon, right?"

Weiss looked back up, confusion decorating her face. "It isn't?"

"No," Jaune said. "Faunus souls are totally on the inside. The animal features are just part of their bodies. They don't have a taboo like we do for our dæmons."

"But…" Weiss frowned. "But, they looked so angry…"

Now, that was weird. Unless… "What did they say?" Jaune asked.

"I don't know. Yang said something about fleas." Weiss looked at Anmut for clarification.

"She said Sun doesn't have fleas," Anmut elaborated.

"Yes, that seemed like an odd thing to- Oh!" Weiss gasped, suddenly realizing what had happened. "Oh dear…" She stared at Anmut, whose wings drooped and whose head dipped as they both finally figured out the problem.

Jaune glanced at Eliana, putting the pieces together on his own. _Weiss had a bad reaction to touching Sun's tail, because she thought she had broken the taboo, but the others thought she was acting that way because she was disgusted._

Gently, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey. Let's go back, okay?" he urged. "They won't be mad once they know what happened. Technically, you were being super respectful, trying not to break the taboo with Sun."

Weiss shook her head. Even if it was a misunderstanding, she didn't know if she could handle looking at those hostile faces anymore, especially Yang's.

It stood out so clearly in her mind, now: Yang's eyes narrowed, her lip curled back with anger on her friend's behalf. Weiss could almost taste the disappointment her soulmate probably felt just then.

 _Why wouldn't she be disappointed?_ Weiss thought mournfully. _She ended up with a weak, spoiled brat who can't even stand to go near her house or talk to her friends._

At that moment, she was aware that she was very close to crying. Not only did she loathe the idea of crying in public, but she knew what would happen if she cried too much. The makeup that she always applied to the area around her let eye might get washed away, and then…

A jolt of fear went through her at the thought of what would be revealed then.

"I just want to go home," she said aloud. Beside her, Anmut nodded.

Jaune sighed. "Okay. I'll talk to them after we get you home. Let's go somewhere you can calm down first. The last thing we need is for your dad to think I did something to you."

They found Klein a few minutes later and started toward the Manor. Sonja trotted close to Anmut, so that her brown and white fur brushed his feathers with every step. Between that, and Eliana's warm weight on his back, the swan started to feel safe again. By extension, so did Weiss.

Just before they reached the house, Eliana hopped from Anmut's back and returned to Jaune, who smiled comfortingly at Weiss. "I'll go talk to Yang and Sun now," he promised. "I already arranged to take you out on Friday. Everything will be smoothed over by then. Okay?"

Weiss took a deep breath, managing a tiny smile. "Thank you, Jaune. I appreciate all you've done for me."

Jaune shrugged. "Hey. What are friends for?" He moved as if he wanted to give her a hug, remembered that they were in view of the Manor, and quickly changed to a semi-awkward kiss on the hand. _I think I'd probably get shot on sight if I did something as unrefined as a hug…_

Weiss watched him go, her heart fluttering in a way that was different from what she had felt when she first met Yang. This was a more manageable feeling, but still one of intense happiness. _Friends…_ She ended up having to will away her smile before going inside. It wouldn't do to make her father suspicious, after all.

…

"You _idiot_!" Yong Shi's roar was like a clap of thunder in the still, dusty air. "I tried to tell you that she wasn't disgusted! I tried to tell you, but did you listen? No! You just went all red-eyed and lost your temper like you always do!"

"Well, excuse me!" Yang snapped. "But, when someone acts all fake-nice to my Faunus friends, and then acts like they touched something disgusting when Sun's tail brushes their hand, what am I supposed to think?!"

"You didn't think! If you had, you would've been paying attention to Anmut!" Yong Shi snarled.

"Don't fight!" Ruby whimpered. "Please." It was always scary and disconcerting when a human didn't get along with their dæmon, and a shouting match like this was downright terrifying to behold, especially considering the already-present intimidation factor in both Yang and Yong Shi.

Baynar trotted over to Yong Shi, whimpering as he pressed his head against the lion's foreleg.

Yong Shi looked at the dingo, his head dipping shamefully.

Jaune swallowed loudly, more than a little shaken at the explosion that had just occurred. "So, yeah. Weiss felt really bad once she realized what happened."

"Why didn't she come back, then?" Yang asked.

"Probably scared of your yelling," Yong Shi grumbled.

"Hey, you yelled too!"

"For her to come back!"

"Um, your roar can be pretty scary," Baynar pointed out. "And maybe she wanted to calm down. You know how we don't yell in front of Blake, since it makes her scared?"

"You think Weiss is the same way?" Ruby asked.

"I mean, her dad doesn't sound like a very nice man." Baynar sat down, scratching behind his ear. "Besides, I don't think anyone likes being yelled at, especially when they're already panicking."

As Yang listened, and as the high from yelling at Yong Shi faded, she felt a sinking sensation in her gut. Slowly, she sat down, a cloud of self-loathing descending over her as she realized what she had done.

 _I scared my soulmate so bad, she had to send Jaune back here to explain things._

Since she was little, Yang was famous for having anger problems. Her father had talked with her on more than one occasion concerning how quickly she got mad, and how eager she often was to get into fights. Her most recent offense was getting into a vicious brawl with the owner of a bar after he called her "sweetheart."

Yang and Yong Shi glanced guiltily at each other. "Could you tell her I'm sorry?" Yang asked, looking imploringly at Jaune.

"You can tell her yourself," Jaune said, his shoulders slumping with relief at the change in mood. "She's coming out with me again on Friday."

Yang's eyes lit up hopefully. "Really?"

"Yeah, really," Jaune assured her.

"She doesn't think much of herself, strength-wise," Eliana commented. "But, she's actually really tough. I can tell."

"I knew that right when I met her," Jaune said with a grin. He looked back at Yang. "I'd better go find Sun, Blake, and Ilia."

"Uh, bad idea," Yang cautioned. "It's getting dark, and you're way richer than me. You going into the District is asking for trouble. I'll go talk to them."

"Ah. Right." Jaune nodded. "See you guys later, then." He picked up Eliana and walked outside.

"You're still worried," the gray squirrel murmured.

"Well, yeah," Jaune admitted. "I've never heard of things being this bumpy between soulmates. What if something went wrong somehow?"

"We just need to do what we can to help them," Eliana said. "They'll figure it out."

"I guess." Jaune stroked his dæmon's soft fur. "Man, I hope things go smoother for us when we find our soulmate."

Eliana's tail fluffed. "Somehow, I don't think it could be any bumpier than what's happening with those two."

Jaune let out a short laugh. "I hope you're right…"

….

Weiss was sitting at her desk, staring at a book's pages without actually reading it, when she heard a tap on her window. Sitting up, she was thrilled to see Hermes on the other side. She hurried over, opening the window to let the hawk in. This time, the witch's dæmon flew over to where Anmut stood on the floor, allowing the swan to brush his beak through his feathers while he returned the favor. He then flew back to the windowsill.

"Hello, again!" he greeted. "You seem sad tonight. Did something happen?"

Weiss sat down again at her desk and recounted the events of the afternoon to the hawk. She looked down at her folded hands as she finished. "I'm starting to wonder whether we really are soulmates," she admitted. "We are so incompatible, and our interactions have felt so…strange."

"Strange, how?" Hermes asked.

"Well, I do feel a certain…attraction to her," Weiss muttered, her cheeks flushing. "And I can feel things about her when I look at her dæmon. But, we have almost nothing in common, and she's so angry and I'm so scared of everything, and…and…" Tears started to well up in her eyes, and she hurriedly dabbed them away with a handkerchief.

Hermes gave her a sad look and was glad when Anmut took the initiative to press himself against Weiss's leg. "You've only met her twice, haven't you? Give it time."

"But, isn't the bond supposed to be instantaneous?" Weiss asked. "Isn't that the whole point? You meet your soulmate, and that's the person you are meant to marry." She shook her head. "But, how can it be that simple? First of all, we're of different classes. Second, we're both women! This is blasphemy! Why am I not more concerned about that?!"

Hermes flapped his wings sharply, silencing Weiss with a sudden gust of air. "I'm sorry," he said. "But you need to keep your voice down. I doubt your father would be happy to see me if he came barging in."

"Of course." Weiss took a shuddering breath while glancing nervously toward the door.

"As for your questions, you need not worry," Hermes assured her. "Soulmate bonds manifest in many ways. It's just more common for that bond to become romantic love, due to the nature of it."

"And what exactly is the nature of the bond?" Weiss asked.

"Your soulmate," Hermes explained. "Is nothing more or less than the best person you can possibly know. Every person you meet over the course of your life changes you, for better, for worse, or a little bit of both. Your soulmate is the person who will bring out the most positive changes in you, the person who will help you become the best possible version of yourself."

Weiss stared at the hawk, more than a little confused. "That's entirely different from anything I've heard."

"That's because it's complicated," Hermes said. "People like to cling to beliefs and legends that are simple and convenient. Things get diluted until their original intents are unknown. Witches stop being long-lived beings who pursue knowledge through magic and become strange monsters with severed dæmons. The Jesus Christ your church worships is changed until many of his teachings are forgotten in favor of a set of laws that limits women and stifles free will."

He paused to smooth some of the feathers of his right wing. "And soulmates go from being a partner meant to help better yourself to being seen as a magically-chosen mate."

"A partner meant to help better yourself…" Weiss thought about the afternoon, about how, before the tail incident, she had started feeling less scared to be around those three Faunus. With time, could such interactions lead to her being less afraid of the Faunus District? Would she be able to open up about what had happened there years ago?

 _I wouldn't be thinking this way if I hadn't met Yang,_ she thought, looking at Anmut.

"But, what about that longing?" she asked. "The wish to touch her dæmon?"

"In order to help each other, soulmates need to know each other better than it's normally possible to know another person," Hermes replied. "When you establish the bond between you, you'll see each other for who you truly are, no secrets, no mirages. It can be scary, and a bit overwhelming, but it's all meant to help you."

"And my attraction to her?" Weiss ventured.

Hermes chuckled. "That's very common. After all, this is the person who will make you better than you ever were. Why wouldn't you find her attractive? Like I said, most soulmate bonds do become romantic. However, it's not because you instantly fall in love. It's simply a natural response to being around someone who will come to truly know you, and who will be the healthiest relationship you will ever know. I do know some soulmates who are platonic friends, and who even have other lovers."

Weiss leaned back against her chair, her muscles relaxing as a coil of tension she hadn't even noticed before was loosened. "That…makes me feel so much better."

"Tell Yang what I told you," Hermes advised. "I'm sure she's feeling a similar conflict if she also believes in the instant-love myth. Maybe, this will take some pressure from your meetings, and allow you to actually get to know each other in a way that works for you."

"I will." Between Jaune's promise and Hermes's words, Weiss already felt fully capable of facing Yang again.

As she calmed down, she remembered who she was talking to and why she had been so keen to see him again. "So, did you find your soulmate? Will your witch be able to help me find my sister?"

Hermes shook his head sadly. "Not yet, I'm afraid. We're still looking. I feel like we're so close, but we just keep missing them. I know that you will somehow help us, but I can't figure out how."

Weiss considered it for a moment. How could she lead to Hermes and his witch finding their soulmate? She wasn't exactly someone who could search the town, after all. A flying witch could definitely do better. The only time she ever left the Manor was when she left with her father and, more recently, when Jaune-

 _Jaune!_ She sat up straight, and Anmut let out a very undignified honk of excitement.

Hermes looked sharply at them. "What? Did you think of something?"

Trying to hide her growing smile, Weiss nodded. "Yes. Why don't you come meet me when I go out on Friday to see Yang?" she said. "Maybe, if you stay with me during the day, you'll find something."

"That sounds grand!" Hermes declared. "I didn't want to ask, just in case I got in the way of you and your soulmate."

"Oh, you won't," Weiss assured him. If her hunch was right, Hermes wouldn't have to be by her side for very long. "I promise you won't."

….

The stench of vomit followed Whitley as he dragged his mother from the bathroom. Grimacing with disgust, he slung Willow's arm around his shoulder as he half-carried her near-unconscious form back to her room.

Behind them, Demetria was carrying Varian in her jaws. She had shifted into the form of a dog, something Jacques would surely punish harshly if he ever found out. Still, she kept that form for the time being. For some reason, the ermine was always at his calmest when Demetria carried him as a dog. Lately, she had started imitating Klein's spaniel dæmon, and the ermine hardly struggled anymore.

As Whitley helped his mother into bed, which was thankfully vacant of his father, the sleeve of Willow's night gown slipped back over her wrist. The moonlight hit her pale arm, highlighting a series of small indentations.

Frowning, Whitley examined them closer. Judging by the shape and redness if the marks, his mother had recently been bitten by a very large dog.

 _How odd,_ he mused as he pulled the covers over her. _We don't have any dogs on the property. If we did, there certainly wouldn't be any savage enough to bite._

If he could catch his mother in a moment of sobriety, he'd ask her about it later. For now, he kissed her forehead, watched as Demetria gently placed Varian on the pillow and licked his brow, and turned to leave the room.

Demetria turned into a dove and fluttered onto Whitley's shoulder. "I think she was pleased with my form today," she murmured, referring to the gray wolf.

"Of course, she was," Whitley assured her, giving her a look of pure devotion and adoration. "You're fantastic."

Demetria pressed herself against his cheek, taking comfort in her beloved human's warmth, hoping that his faith in her wasn't misplaced.

 _Soon,_ she assured him with her thoughts. _I'm sure I'll settle soon. Then, you'll be a legal adult, and we can start running this company, just like we're supposed to. Our lives will be all set._

"Don't settle too soon," Whitley muttered with a smirk. "Or Father might ask us to help when the time comes to find my dear sister a husband."

The two snickered at the thought of what a train wreck that affair would be and agreed that it was probably best to remain children, at least for the time being.

 **It's interesting writing Weiss as being more helpless in this fic. One of her key character traits is her ability to fight back, but I can't help but wonder what she would be like in a world where being a Huntress or even leaving the house on her own isn't an option. I imagine her being very frustrated and unsure of herself, both in this world and likely in canon before she started training to be a Huntress.**

 **I can't tell you how excited I am to have Whitley as a key character in this fic. One of my headcanons for him is that he frequently takes care of Willow whenever she gets too drunk, and that he has spent the most time with her out of all the Schnee siblings. That further fuels the tension between him, Weiss, and Winter, as he may feel that they not only abandoned him, but walked out on their mother as well. (Seriously, Rooster Teeth. Bring Whitley back and give him the depth he deserves!)**

 **Next week will be a lot less angsty. Actually, there's a fluffy scene that may kill some of my readers. Like, I'm really proud of that scene. You'll see what I'm talking about next week.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	4. The Squirrel's Joy

**Greetings, my lovelies! I just sat through an hour and a half of being told exactly what I need to do with my life. Doesn't that sound like a fun way to spend my afternoon? *twitch* My brain is now oatmeal, and not the kind with sprinkles. On the plus side, this is one of my favorite chapters of this fic, and I can finally post it. My Arkos-loving audience will be very happy, I'm sure.**

 **Enjoy!**

Weiss had to hide her excitement that Friday as she counted the hours until Jaune came to get her. She hoped with every fiber of her being that her recent hunch was correct, that Hermes seeking her out that afternoon would lead to something truly beautiful.

Jacques, thankfully, didn't notice. Jaune did immediately.

"You seem happy today," he commented, noting the spring in her step and the shimmer in her eyes. _She's gorgeous,_ he thought, feeling a slight pang of jealousy toward Yang.

He hadn't said this to Weiss, and probably never would, but he had once held onto a fantasy of being her soulmate. Ever since he first saw her singing on TV, he had asked his parents to somehow get him to one of those balls. He had this whole scenario in his mind where he and Weiss saw each other for the first time across the room. Their dæmons would feel that bond and eagerly pull the two together, where they'd dance the night away.

Of course, neither Eliana nor Anmut had done anything of the sort when they met, so they were clearly just meant to be friends. Poor Jaune was back to square one, back to blindly wondering if the next person he saw on the street would be his soulmate.

Weiss, meanwhile, tried not to skip too obviously. She didn't want to let on to her hunch and give Jaune false hope, just in case she was wrong. "I had a conversation with a friend the other day," she said. "It made me feel much better."

A note of apprehension entered her voice as she asked: "So, did you speak with Yang and Sun?"

Jaune nodded. "Yeah. You have nothing to worry about. Actually, I was half expecting Yang to start banging her head against something when I explained everything. She's convinced that she scared you off. As for Sun, he immediately was okay once I told him what happened. He said you don't need to worry. The only person with access to his soul is Blake."

"Oh, are they a couple?"

"Yep!" Jaune grinned. "Been together for over a year. It's a bummer for poor Ilia, though. She's had a crush on Blake since they were kids."

"People in town seem a bit more…lenient concerning feelings for the same gender," Weiss noted, her voice taking on a lower tone.

"I mean, two girls will never be able to marry," Jaune noted, a hint of deep sadness in his voice. "And the areas with more militant Church representatives can kill people if they suspect anything like that. I guess poorer people aren't looked at as closely as upper-class people." He frowned. "Come to think of it, you and Yang are going to need to be really careful."

"Trust me, I know," Weiss sighed. The cloak she always wore helped to hide her from a casual observer, though having the hood up all the time was rather annoying. She was a bit calmer about the idea of being attracted to Yang, now that Hermes had assured her that romance wasn't a requirement of having a soulmate. Still, if it happened, she would have to be extremely cautious.

As they got closer to the marketplace, after Klein went off to run his own errands, Weiss saw a shadow pass overhead. She looked up, her heart leaping when she saw a familiar red-tailed hawk circling.

Jaune followed her gaze, shielding his eyes from the sun. "What are you…looking…?" He trailed off, suddenly forgetting how to speak.

As the hawk flew lower, Jaune was stunned at just how beautiful he was, how strong and fierce and mighty he was. When the bird landed on a nearby barrel, Jaune hurried over and immediately found himself drowning in those sharp yellow eyes, eyes that were somehow intimidating and welcoming at the same time, eyes that held years of wisdom as well as a sense of naïve wonder that touched Jaune's soul in a beautifully-painful way.

Eliana was perfectly still. Not even her tail moved as she gazed in awe at this dæmon. "It's you," she breathed. When the hawk nodded, she leaped from Jaune's shoulder and hurried over to her soulmate, nuzzling her small head against the feathers on his chest, her tail shaking as a strong, warm wing wrapped around her.

Jaune gasped quietly as he too felt the sensation of gentle feathers and strong muscles protecting him. A moment later, he realized that this feeling wasn't just coming from his dæmon. It was coming from the woman who was now standing behind him.

He didn't turn around. He was almost afraid to move, afraid to break the spell of this moment. It was as if a fog had surrounded him and his dæmon, so that they only existed to the hawk and to the presence at his back. He felt a puff of air on the back of his neck and shivered. "What's your name?" he asked, his voice quieter than a whisper.

"Pyrrha Nikos," a voice gentler than the touch of a kitten's fur replied. "And yours?"

"Jaune Arc." He closed his eyes, taking a shuddering breath as he felt the presence turn to flesh, felt the warm press of another person against his back, felt slender arms wrapping around his midsection, felt a flushed cheek resting on the back of his neck. He had never felt so safe, so happy, and so…content with who he was.

Throughout his life, Jaune had become accustomed to feeling inferior for one reason or another. His sisters were smarter than him, his friends were stronger than him, and he still had no idea what he was going to do with his life.

In that moment, however, feeling his soulmate embracing him, seeing the pure acceptance on the hawk dæmon's face when he opened his eyes, he felt for the first time that he was good enough just as he was. He brought a hand up, feeling an electric tingle as he brushed his fingers against the bare arm at his front.

He felt his soulmate, Pyrrha, move away from him, one hand lightly touching his arm as she silently urged him to turn and look at her. He obeyed, his breath catching at the sight of the woman before him.

She was taller than any other women he'd met, even Yang, and had a gracefulness about her that made it easy to believe she could step into the air simply by holding a sprig of pine. Her eyes were bright green and full of life and wisdom. Her smile was kindly and open, but also a bit mischievous, hinting at the great adventures that were imminent if you so much as knew her. Fiery-red hair fell across a black dress that acted more like an ornament than something she absolutely had to wear. On her brow was a crown of tiny, pale-gold flowers that looked as alive and fresh as if they were still growing from the earth.

"Wow…" Jaune breathed, gazing at Pyrrha Nikos. A witch. His soulmate. "You're…amazing."

Pyrrha's smile widened, and she blushed a soft pink color. "Thank you." She reached out to push back some unruly yellow hair that had fallen across her soulmate's brow, loving the way his face turned bright red at her touch, loving that shy, excited smile that made him seem to be glowing from within. "You're quite wonderful, yourself."

Weiss had remained silent through this encounter, her cheeks burning, wondering if she should even be watching something so intimate. At one point, she wondered why no one else was stopping to look at this incredible moment, noting how people were just walking by without so much as a glance, even at the very obvious witch standing in the middle of the marketplace.

 _It must be a spell,_ Anmut thought. _Like how she was able to just appear behind him like that._

Weiss realized he was right. Pyrrha had somehow made it so that her first meeting with Jaune was wholly private. _Except for me…_ She looked at Hermes, who met her eye and nodded. Weiss realized that Pyrrha had allowed her to view this on purpose and felt incredibly honored.

That connection, the acceptance, and the sheer happiness that filled Jaune, Pyrrha, and their dæmons was probably the purest thing Weiss had ever witnessed. _Can Yang and I really be like that?_ she wondered.

Pyrrha and Jaune talked quietly for a minute before Pyrrha approached Weiss. "I owe you a great debt, Weiss Schnee," she said formally. "Hermes told me what you seek. I will perform a scrying spell tonight to search for your sister. Would you give me a lock of your hair to help with the spell?"

Weiss ended up pulling three in her eagerness and offered them all gladly. "Thank you."

"Thank _you_ ," Pyrrha insisted. "You have my friendship, and that of any witch of the Clan of Glynda Goodwitch." She plucked a flower from her crown and gave it to Weiss. "If you ever need me or Hermes, just hold that in your hand and call to us. We'll hear you, no matter where we are."

Weiss gazed at the flower reverently before tucking it away deep in her cloak pocket. "I shall treasure this, Pyrrha Nikos." She bowed her head.

Pyrrha smiled and stepped back, taking Jaune's hand. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get acquainted with my soulmate. Hermes will watch over you until you reach yours."

Weiss watched Eliana hop onto Jaune's arm as he was led off by Pyrrha. She giggled a little at the stunned, happy look on his face.

Anmut let out a muffled honk of amusement. "Pyrrha will have to keep a good hold on him, or he'll walk right into a pole."

Hermes spread his wings and took to the skies, circling overhead as Weiss continued on her way alone.

The shabby neighborhood came into view, along with the entrance to the Faunus District. Taking a deep breath, firmly pushing her fears as far down as she could, Weiss walked up to the house, only shuddering a little as she glanced at the even more decrepit streets nearby, and knocked on the door.

A moment later, Taiyang was looking down at her. A bright, though surprised grin came to his face. "Hi, Weiss! Yang and Ruby are actually down at the marketplace looking for you. Did you miss them?"

"I must have," Weiss said, glancing over her shoulder. It had been hard to focus on anything but Jaune and Pyrrha.

"Well, I'll walk you down there." Taiyang stepped out, his doe dæmon touching her nose to Anmut's brow in greeting. He glanced up, his eyes widening when he saw the hawk circling above them. "Weirdest thing I've ever seen," he muttered. "A dæmon flying on his own like that."

As they walked, Taiyang remarked on how cheerful Weiss was.

"I'm glad that misunderstanding between you and Yang didn't get you down," he commented. "She can be a bit impulsive at times. I'm always telling her not to make assumptions about people."

"It's fine," Weiss assured him. "I understand why she thought what she did." She looked up at Hermes as they approached the marketplace, waving as he flew off in what she assumed was the direction of his witch.

Taiyang raised an eyebrow. "You know the witch?"

"We met," Weiss said with a smile. "She's very nice."

"That's a relief. I'd hate to meet a witch who was actually looking to turn me into a toad." Taiyang noticed his daughters and waved them over.

Ruby zipped up immediately, Baynar at her heels. "Hey, Weiss!" she chirped as she got close. She had already been firmly warned not to shout Weiss's name when in the streets.

Yang was quick to follow, her expression a combination of relief and apprehension. "Hey," she muttered. "We were looking for you, but we only found your butler. Where'd Jaune go?"

At this, Weiss couldn't suppress her smile any longer. Her eyes shining, she beckoned the others closer. "Jaune just met his soulmate this morning," she whispered.

Ruby let out a loud squee that caused several people to stare at them. "That is amazing!" she squeaked, bouncing up and down. "Oh, who is it? Who is it?"

Yang was grinning. "Good for him. He's been waiting for that ever since Eliana settled."

"Who is it?!" Ruby repeated, looking about ready to leap into the sky with excitement.

"Pyrrha Nikos, of the Glynda Goodwitch Clan," Weiss replied.

Ruby's jaw dropped. "The witch?! Jaune's soulmate is a witch?! That is _so_ neat!"

Taiyang let out a whistle. "Now, that's something. I heard the soulmates of witches can live to be two hundred years old!"

"How pretty is she? I heard witches are super pretty!" Ruby's silver eyes sparkled.

"She has long, flowing, red hair, emerald-green eyes, and wears a crown of flowers," Weiss said, chuckling at the loud gasp Ruby let out.

"Ooooh! I wanna meet her!"

"Easy, sis," Yang laughed. "Remember, she's Jaune's soulmate. Don't get all grabby."

"I won't!" Ruby said, folding her arms and pouting.

Yang ruffled her hair before looking back at Weiss. "So…would you like to…?" She gestured vaguely.

"Yes, of course," Weiss said quickly. She wondered how she had somehow understood that Yang wanted to walk alone with her.

 _Remember what Hermes said. We can read them better than anyone._ Anmut walked over to Yong Shi, who purred loudly at him.

"Okay," Ruby said. "I'll go hang out with Blake."

"Would you tell them I'm sorry for the misunderstanding?" Weiss asked.

"They already know, but sure." Ruby waved as she walked off.

"Have fun, girls," Taiyang said. "If Jaune isn't back to take you home, Weiss, I'll walk you back."

"Klein will be able to, but thank you," Weiss said, nodding politely.

Once they were alone, Yang looked at Weiss, her expression becoming very sheepish. "Look, I'm sorry about before. I should've realized that you might not know certain things about the Faunus. And…I saw how scared you were of the Faunus District, so I probably shouldn't have introduced you to Blake and the others so soon."

She took a deep breath. "The truth is that I have a short temper. I yell. I get mad easily. I punch things to feel better." She shrugged. "Not what you were expecting in a soulmate, I guess."

"Well," Weiss said, smiling gently. "I didn't make things better by running. It's true that I get uneasy around Faunus for…personal reasons, along with my family's enmity with them. After seeing your friends, I realize that there is more to them than I thought before."

"They're people, just like us," Yang insisted. "They just have animal features, no dæmons, and no legal rights…"

Weiss winced. "I realize that now. It's difficult to change one's opinion immediately, however. I intend to try, and I hope your friends will give me another chance in the future."

Yang grinned. "Oh, they will. Sun was actually asking the other day when I'd be seeing you again." She looked around. "Say, wanna go somewhere else?"

"Where?"

"Outside town, there's this clearing in the woods I like to go to."

Weiss swallowed nervously. "Aren't there…bandits in the woods? And bears?"

"I can punch both if they bother us," Yang said dismissively.

Weiss looked at Yong Shi, whose face was the picture of innocence. "I…honestly can't tell if you're joking or not."

In the end, the two left town and headed toward the forest, though Weiss found herself pressing close to Yang until the taller girl wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. Her heart thudded, and she looked fixedly at the ground.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I'm sure a spoiled brat who jumps at her own dæmon's shadow isn't what you expected for a soulmate."

"I don't think that about you!" Yang insisted. "I mean, I did think you were a spoiled brat at first, but obviously I was wrong. As for the jumpiness, it makes sense for you to be skittish. You've never left your mansion on your own, right?"

"That's true," Weiss acknowledged. "That was just something Father once said about me when I was ten."

"Well, that's a shit thing to say about your kid!" Yang huffed.

Once they got to the clearing, they sat down, Weiss using her cloak to keep any stains from getting on her other clothes. Anmut sat down next to her, tucking his head under his wing. She watched Yong Shi stretch out in the sun, looking like a giant house cat, and smiled.

"Come to think of it," Yang continued. "If you're so nervous, why were you at that fight? I never asked that, did I?"

"I was actually looking for Pyrrha, though I didn't know her name then." Weiss explained how she wanted to find her sister.

"She ran away, huh?" Yang nodded. "Good for her."

"Father was just narrowing down who to marry her off to," Weiss remembered. "She decided it would be easier to run before another man had a legal claim to her."

"Reason number fifty to never get married." Yang leaned against a nearby tree, staring at the sky. "Then again, I guess marriage isn't gonna be a thing for me, since…" She trailed off, her face suddenly going red. "Um, should I bring that up now, or no?"

"It's fine," Weiss said, though her blush had returned. "If it helps, soulmates aren't meant to fall in love at first sight."

Yang sat bolt upright. "Wait, what?!"

"Hermes, the witch's dæmon, told me," Weiss explained. "Soulmates are meant to bring out the best in each other, but they don't have to fall in love. That's just the most common thing to happen."

Yang stared at Weiss before letting out a breathless laugh, slumping back against the tree. Yong Shi rolled onto his back, stretching his limbs.

"Well, thank God for that," Yang muttered. "I was starting to wonder if there was something wrong with me. Like, you're definitely gorgeous, but I wasn't making any plans to write sappy poetry just yet."

Weiss giggled. "You don't look like the sappy poetry type."

"Hey! Just because I'm a master of puns doesn't mean I can't dabble in other things." Yang sat up again, holding out her hand in a vague, exaggerated gesture. "Roses are red, violets are blue…something, something… Uh, my place or yours?"

"Riveting," Weiss drawled. "How have you remained single for so long with such eloquence at your disposal?"

Yang shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a hard catch."

The two laughed, and Weiss was stunned at how good she felt. How many times over the years had something made her genuinely laugh? Klein sometimes got a chuckle out of her when he tried, but laughter like this was utterly foreign to her. Yet, with Yang, she had a feeling that it would become all too common.

Between that, and the alleviation of the pressure to be in love immediately, or at all, Weiss felt absolutely positive that meeting Yang was the best thing that could have happened to her.

Judging by the cheerful toss of Yong Shi's mane, Yang felt the exact same way.

The two spent a very pleasant afternoon together, talking amicably about happy subjects, as if by an unspoken agreement to not bring down the mood again that day. Yang talked about the fight she was preparing for, one that would hopefully set her on track to win more money. Weiss told stories about the most incompetent suitors she had ever had to deal with.

"And then, he said 'I must say, your silence is most attractive.'" Weiss rolled her eyes. "I know it's considered proper for a woman to be silent, but who actually _says_ that to the woman they're trying to court?"

"Someone who sees them as objects, I guess," Yang muttered, not sure whether to laugh or cringe. "So, what did you do?"

"I did absolutely nothing," Weiss said primly. "Lashing out, even in response to a statement like that, would have been utterly improper."

"I might have tugged on the tablecloth," Anmut muttered. "And cake might have gotten on his perfectly-polished shoes and overly-pressed pants. But I can't confirm such a statement, as my memory is quite bad." He started grooming his feathers, his expression one of pure innocence.

Both Yang and Yong Shi burst out laughing, the lion's laugh echoing off the trees in a roaring bellow.

Weiss found herself laughing once again. She felt Anmut cuddling close to her and could feel his contentment as she did her own.

Jaune did find them later on. It turned out that Hermes had kept an eye on the two, and guided Jaune and Pyrrha to the clearing so Weiss could go home.

Weiss noticed the purely happy gleam in Jaune's eyes, and the way Eliana was scampering excitedly back and forth across his shoulders. "Did you have a nice time?"

"Simply grand," Pyrrha assured her, giving Jaune a look of deep devotion before her expression became serious. "I will do the scrying spell tonight. The next time Jaune brings you to town, I will come to you and tell you what I find out."

"Thank you again, Pyrrha," Weiss said earnestly. "This means so much to me."

"You are most welcome. Now, hurry home. From what Jaune told me about your father, you don't want to keep him waiting."

"That's certainly true," Weiss sighed.

Yang walked with them part of the way before saying goodbye at the edge of the rich district, where Klein was waiting. She hesitated, holding out an arm and tilting her head at Weiss.

Weiss paused only briefly before walking over and allowing Yang to hug her. Her back stiffened instinctively at the strange contact. Yang's arms felt very muscled and incredibly warm, as did the rest of her. Weiss was pressed close in a way that was stifling and comforting at the same time. Slowly, she brought one hand up to touch Yang's back, while the other rested delicately on her shoulder.

Yang, meanwhile, felt a pang of sadness and rage that was enough to make Yong Shi let out a low whine. _This girl has hardly ever been hugged in her life!_ she realized. _Her father is an actual piece of garbage!_

Silently vowing to get her poor soulmate used to hugs as soon as possible, Yang squeezed once before letting go, putting on her signature easygoing grin. "See you, Weiss."

"Until next time, Yang," Weiss said, nodding her head, already feeling herself falling back into the prim mask that needed to be in place by the time she got home. However, it took much longer to entirely will the smile from her face.

….

Klein trudged down the hall that night, a chilled bucket in his hands. The full bottle within seemed to weigh him down with every step. Sonja trotted at his side, occasionally brushing against his leg in a gesture of wordless comfort. He was used to these silent moments between them. They rarely talked in the view of others. It wasn't becoming of a servant, after all.

It hadn't always been that way. Years ago, when Klein worked as a cook at a tavern called The Black Cat in the next town over, he had been a poorer, happier man. He was the life of the party on Saturday nights, when the staff would come together to feast on the leftovers of the week and break out what alcohol hadn't been guzzled down by the customers. His loud, booming voice was only rivaled by his dæmon's bark.

Of course, good things were not meant to last. The staff parties were reported to the local authorities, who deemed such revelry on the eve of Sunday to be immoral. Between that, and the black cat symbolism used in the décor, the Church found all the reason it needed to brand the place as a pagan cesspool and shut it down.

Luckily for Klein, some of the soldiers in the area liked his cooking, and one of them recommended him to Jacques Schnee. Having nowhere else to go, Klein applied, was accepted, and settled into the cold life he had been given.

Fate only continued to laugh at him since that day, for soon after Klein joined the Schnee household, he found his soulmate.

Now, he carefully opened the door to Willow Schnee's bedroom. Even though Jacques did exercise his rights as a husband, he never slept by her side afterward, preferring the quiet of his own room. Klein knew that Willow also preferred it that way.

He sat down on a chair by the bed, noting the near-empty wine bottle on the table. It had been a bad night.

Sonja hopped onto the bed and gently nudged Willow's hand with her nose, whining softly. She curled up on the frail woman's stomach, staring up at her with gentle brown eyes.

Willow sat up, immediately embracing the spaniel, murmuring softly while Varian slid from her pillow and into Klein's waiting arms.

For a moment, all was quiet as the two soulmates held each other's dæmons. In mere seconds, they knew all they needed to know about each other. Klein felt the lingering pain from Jacques's recent visit, the disgust Varian felt at those ugly hands on his body. Willow knew that Klein was more worried than usual, about her and about Weiss.

"Weiss is strong," Willow murmured, her voice slurred. "She's a strong girl." She gave Klein a distant smile.

"I know," Klein sighed. "But I fear for her just the same." He didn't tell Willow that Weiss had found her soulmate. He didn't know if she'd be able to keep that a secret. He hated having to be secretive around her.

He handed her a bottle. "I suppose it would be useless for me to ask you to go easy on that."

Willow giggled. "Now, you're getting it. Smart man." She took a swig from the bottle, swallowing loudly. "Mmm. Nice and tart. I don't like my wine sweet. Too much like…like grape juice."

"Yes, I know," Klein sighed.

"Do you know what the best thing about this is?" Winter asked, waving the bottle, sloshing red-purple liquid onto her sheets in the process.

"What's that?" Klein asked, even as he mentally calculated how long the servants would have to soak those sheets in the morning.

"Keeps me numb. Numb, numb, numb." Willow winked. "Can't feel him if I can't feel. Get it?"

Varian hiccupped in Klein's arms, blinking up at the butler with bleary, adoring eyes. "She got cedarwood incense for me," he mumbled. "Nice and soft, nice and dozy. Felt nothing."

Klein's brows furrowed. Cedarwood had a sophoric effect on dæmons. If Willow was secretly purchasing that for Varian, on top of all the alcohol she was drinking, Jacques's abuse was likely getting worse. "I wish I could take you away from here," he sighed. "I want to know who you are without all this." He gestured vaguely at the wine bottle, the expressionless room, the cold household.

Willow drew the spaniel to her chest and kissed her brow. "I don't even remember who I am, who I was…" she said, her expression turning sad and almost sober. "I just don't know."

They sat there for as long as they dared, holding each other's dæmons, unsure of what else to do. Eventually, Klein and Sonja left. He forced himself to not look back, as he knew he'd just see Willow drinking from the bottle, droplets resembling blood trickling from her mouth.

 **PLOT TWIST! Willow and Klein are soulmates! I gotta say that writing Willow has been interesting for me. Like, I'll type a bit of dialogue, then sit back and realize how profoundly sad it is. On the other hand, I really enjoyed perfecting Jaune and Pyrrha's meeting in this chapter. I want the soulmates in this story to have very emotional experiences with each other, especially considering that the external manifestations of their souls are involved.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	5. The Wolf's Command

**Aaaand, we're back with everyone's favorite soulmate AU! This has some cuteness, some sadness, and some of Jackass being his usual charming self.**

 **Enjoy!**

It was a few days before Weiss was able to go out again. During this time, she was introduced to several well-to-do families, went to a few Church services, and was given a stern lecture reminding her to not get attached to Jaune.

"I've been talking with his parents," Jacques confided. "I may be able to get them to invest a good amount of money in the Company. Once that's done, that's it for you and that boy."

Weiss nodded once, and Anmut was completely still.

Later on, when Jaune came to get her, she mentioned this conversation to him.

"Yeah, I heard," Jaune grumbled. "My parents said they'd stall for as long as they could. Your dad's a bit of a crook, isn't he?"

"That's putting it mildly."

Jaune and Weiss spun around to look at Klein, who regarded them calmly. "You did not hear me say that," he warned.

They both smiled and returned to their conversation.

"Do your parents know why you're seeing me?" Weiss wondered.

"Sure do. And they're super excited about me finding my soulmate." At the word "soulmate," his entire face lit up. "I still can't believe it. It's like I'm in a dream. I've asked Eliana at least a dozen times if I dreamed it. But then, Hermes stops by my window to say goodnight, and it's all real!"

Weiss couldn't help but smile at how happy her friend was. "I'm glad things worked out so well for you. Pyrrha is a lovely person."

"She really is!"

"Do your parents mind that she's a witch?" Weiss asked.

"Not at all," Jaune replied. "We're Catholics, but we aren't the kind who hate everyone else. She came to dinner last night, and she and Mom had a long talk about whether or not the Catholic God and the gods worshipped by the witches could all exist together."

Weiss frowned. "Isn't that blasphemy?"

"Only if you snitch on us." Jaune nudged her side and grinned, showing that he didn't have any worries about that.

They stopped by Yang's house first, where Yang was waiting along with Ruby, Blake, Sun, and Ilia. Jaune's gaze immediately went up to the roof, where Hermes was perched, and toward the shadow of the house, where Pyrrha stood silently.

Sun, meanwhile, ran over as soon as he saw Weiss. "Hey, princess," he greeted. "No hard feelings about before, right?"

When he held out his hand, Weiss shook it gladly. "Of course. I hope you can forgive my rudeness."

Sun shook his head. "Nothing rude about it. You were just being careful. Heck, you're already better than most humans I've met. If I had a copper for every time someone came up to me and yanked my tail…"

"People actually do that?" Weiss gasped. That seemed inordinately rude, even if one looked down on the Faunus.

"Yeah, and don't get me started on the creeps who try petting Blake's ears." Sun grimaced. "Anyway, we were on our way out, but thought we'd stick around to say hi."

"Hey," Blake called, waving halfheartedly. Next to her, Ilia coughed.

"It's good to see all of you," Weiss said, and realized that she meant it. "I hope the day treats you well."

After Ruby, Sun, and the others left, Weiss looked nervously down at Anmut. "Was that overly formal?"

"I'm not sure," Anmut muttered, his gaze fixed on the entrance to the District, wary of any unfamiliar Faunus.

Yang immediately noted the swan's unease. "I think we're ready to go." As they walked down the street, she smiled at Weiss. "I'm glad you were able to actually come up to the house that time. It's really not so bad over here."

"She came here last time too," Hermes piped up. "After Jaune left with Pyrrha, she came here to find you."

"Yeah?" Yang grinned. "Finally realizing you won't get a plague from the place?" She kept her voice as light as possible, hoping that Weiss understood that she was kidding.

Weiss smiled slightly, shaking her head. "It's not a plague I'm worried about."

Yang desperately wanted to ask exactly what Weiss's issue was with the Faunus District. _It's not just that she was taught to be prejudiced,_ she thought. _She seems to be getting over that part pretty quickly. It's something about the District itself, and about Faunus she doesn't know, that makes her actually terrified. Why is that?_

She glanced at Yong Shi, who shook his head, discouraging her from asking. Weiss would talk when she was ready.

In the meantime, the four friends went deep into the woods, guided by Pyrrha and Hermes, until they got to a makeshift campsite that the witch had been using. "It's more comfortable than being in town," she explained.

Weiss stared around her at the bone medallions hanging from nearby trees, at the deep pot that sat by a dead fire, and at a crystal dish that sat near the tent. "Do you use all these for spells?"

Pyrrha nodded. "Most of my magic only requires my own will, but some spells need certain items." She indicated the crystal dish. "That is what I used for my scrying spell." She glanced at Jaune and Yang. "Can our soulmates stay, or would you prefer to speak alone?"

"They can stay," Weiss said.

The four sat down. "Your sister," Pyrrha said. "Has journeyed far. She spent several months with the Gyptians, learning how to man a ship and how to fight. She reached the borders to the northlands in that way and kept traveling. She worked several odd jobs, such as a barmaid and a housekeeper."

"Father would hate that," Weiss muttered.

"After that, she travelled still further, finding work with mercenary bands. She kept learning the art of combat. Eventually, she made her way to a town on the border of Svalbard, home of the ice bears."

Yang let out a gasp at this. She had only ever heard stories of the mighty panserbj **ø** rne, warrior bears that forged their armor from fallen stars.

"She lives there now, acting as an ambassador for the humans whenever trouble arises with the bears," Pyrrha finished. "She's actually near a sister clan. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the witches there knew her personally." She looked at Weiss with a smile. "In short, she's doing very well."

Weiss put a hand on Anmut's back, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. It was as if a deep, painful grip within her had suddenly been released after so many years. "Thank you," she gasped. "Thank you so much."

Yang impulsively scooted closer and touched Weiss's arm.

"There's another thing," Pyrrha continued, her expression darkening. "There's a reason why you haven't heard anything from her since she left."

Weiss looked at the witch's frown and already knew the answer. "Father."

Pyrrha nodded. "Yes. Your sister has written you many letters over the years. Your father intercepts them, even before the servants can sort through the mail, and burns them."

"I'm not surprised," Weiss muttered, though the words left a bitter taste in her mouth. She imagined all the letters she had missed, all the personal things Winter had likely said, all the details of her journey that had been written down while they were still fresh and new. In that moment, she hated her father more than she ever had before.

Next to her, Anmut let out a quiet hiss. Yong Shi moved closer and nuzzled the swan's side, purring soothingly.

"That's awful!" Jaune gasped. "I mean, even if he's mad at her for leaving, that's no reason to do something like that!"

"You don't know my father," Weiss sighed. "After Winter left, he forbade anyone in the household from ever mentioning her. If one did, they were severely beaten." She stared at her hands. "It was around that time when Mother started drinking more."

Yang pulled Weiss into a gentle, one-armed hug, hating how stiff her soulmate felt even as she leaned into her. _And here I always thought the Schnees were a bunch of spoiled, rich brats who got whatever they wanted. Boy, was I wrong._

In that moment, more than anything, Yang wanted to touch Anmut. She wanted to create that bond and offer the kind of comfort that a soulmate was supposed to be able to give. She looked at the swan dæmon and held out her hand.

For a brief moment, it looked like he was going to touch her hand. Then, at the last second, he cringed away, head bowed.

Yang lowered her hand and didn't pursue the matter further, settling for offering silent comfort to Weiss while Yong Shi curled himself protectively around Anmut.

Pyrrha silently watched the exchange, shared a glance with Hermes, and went over to Jaune. She loved the way his blue eyes lit up as she sat down beside him, loved the way he immediately hugged her as she scooted close.

During their initial meeting, she had explained the true nature of soulmates to Jaune, informed him that instant love wasn't part of it. That didn't seem to matter, however, for either of them. The bond they had was deep, even for two soulmates. Pyrrha could sense that, even though they had yet to establish the bond fully. She could tell that Jaune was a person who loved quickly and deeply. So was she.

Words weren't needed anymore, for any of the four friends. Just the silent comfort of their friends and soulmates was enough.

…

The next four weeks marked the happiest time Weiss could remember. She was able to see Yang twice the first week, three times the second. Each time, she felt the friendship between them deepening, solidifying into something unbreakable.

Better still, she found herself growing closer and closer to her other new friends. Jaune's awkward goofiness, which had put her off not so long ago, was now one of his qualities that Weiss loved most. She especially loved the sappy look he got on his face whenever he was near Pyrrha. It was too adorable.

Pyrrha was simply a delight! Witches had always struck Weiss as an enigma, and she had always imagined them being aloof and mysterious. Pyrrha was the complete opposite, gladly explaining certain spells to Weiss and telling her stories about life in the north.

Ruby also imprinted herself firmly on Weiss's heart. She and Baynar would always rush to the door like eager puppies whenever Weiss visited. Once, Weiss managed to sneak a whole éclair from the house. The ecstatic gusto with which Ruby ate that treat was more than worth the stickiness of Weiss's cloak pocket.

Sun, Blake, and Ilia opened up more to her over time, coming from the District more often, joining the group in the forest. Sun already liked Weiss just fine. Blake took a little longer, though she warmed up relatively quickly when Weiss offered to lend her some of her books. Ilia remained aloof, but polite.

Yang eventually explained to Weiss when they were alone one day that Ilia's parents had been killed in a cave-in while working for the Schnee Mining Company.

"That's awful!" Weiss gasped, feeling a stab of guilt in her gut. "I've heard ugly rumors about the conditions in the mines, but…"

"Hey, that's not your fault," Yang said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You can't control what your dad does. From what you've told me, being a woman means you don't have much control over anything."

"That is very true," Weiss sighed. "I wish there was something I could do. If only I got an allowance like Whitley does…"

"She wouldn't accept money," Yang said, her eyes taking on a stern overtone. "Any more than I would."

"Why, though?" Weiss asked. "Wouldn't that be helpful, all things considered?"

"We may not be living in the lap of luxury, but we're not dying," Yang replied. Realizing how harsh that sounded, she added: "We don't have a lot of money, but we have pride in being able to take care of ourselves."

"I don't mean to imply that you can't take care of yourselves," Weiss insisted. "But, my family has so much more than it needs. Even if you can get by, I know you're hungry sometimes, and that you get tired from your fights. It feels wrong that I have so much, when you, Ilia, and the others could benefit so much more from what I take for granted."

Yang's expression softened. "Thanks, Weiss. You're already doing plenty."

"I'm glad." Weiss smiled, feeling a now-familiar warmth in her chest when Yang hugged her.

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. At the end of those four weeks, Pyrrha had to leave.

"My agreement with the mayor was for a month," she explained to everyone. "I've already overstayed my welcome."

Jaune, of course, was devastated. "When can you come back?"

"Soon, I hope," Pyrrha said, touching his cheek. "I'll have Hermes come back when he can, and I'll talk to the Gyptians about bringing you north. If you want to, that is."

Jaune hesitated, even as he knew deep in his soul that his answer would be yes. "I'll need to figure things out with my family."

"Of course." Pyrrha kissed his cheek softly. "There's no rush." She turned to Weiss. "I'll seek out Winter when I go back. Is there anything you want me to say to her?"

"Tell her that I miss her, and that…that she made the right choice to leave." Now that she knew where Winter was, Weiss could feel something growing within her, a desire that would fill her entire being if she let it. What if she went north and joined her sister, far away from her smirking brother, her abusive father, and her mother who had already given up on life?

Far from many other people, too…

Pyrrha agreed to pass on the message and bring back any letters Winter wanted to deliver. After that, she took her leave.

That night, Hermes came to Jaune at his house and guided him back to Pyrrha's campsite. Nearly everything had been packed. Pyrrha's cloud pine was ready to take her home the next morning. But, there was one thing that had to be done before she parted from her soulmate.

They embraced, her bare, slender arms so much stronger than they looked, his arms gentle but longing. When they drew back, Pyrrha held out her hands. Eliana leaped into them without question.

Jaune gasped at the sheer pleasure that flooded him in that moment. As Pyrrha held, stroked, and kissed his dæmon, he felt each and every touch deeper than he'd ever felt anything before. It was as if every part of him, even the secret, hidden parts that he was ashamed of, was being brought out into the open. Rather than feeling exposed, he felt elated, for the person he was becoming exposed to was one who accepted everything about him as she saw it. Warmth like a harmless fire licked at his mind, his body, his heart, and he had never felt so deeply loved in all his life.

He was shaking all over, but he still managed to hold out his arm for Hermes, who perched gladly on it. He drew the hawk close and began to comb his fingers through the red-brown feathers, touching his lips to the dæmon's fierce brow.

Pyrrha had waited for years to find her soulmate and knew more about the meaning of the bond than most humans ever could hope to understand. Still, nothing could have prepared her for the moment when her dæmon was touched by the man who was meant to stay by her side for as long as he lived.

Her very soul was in Jaune's hands, and he held it as if it was the most precious thing in the world. Pyrrha could feel the smile in his lips as he kissed Hermes, could sense the pure, simple devotion that filled him with each breath. With every second that passed, more and more of her was revealed to him. With every second, she saw his smile grow, felt his love deepen alongside her own.

Cradling Eliana against her chest with one hand, she moved close to Jaune, cupped his cheek, and pressed her lips to his. She felt the delighted squirm of the squirrel at her chest, felt her own dæmon's intense pleasure, and felt the gentle softness of her soulmate's lips on hers.

The kiss ended, but the two soulmates stayed close for another hour before Pyrrha reluctantly backed away. "I need to prepare for morning," she said, her voice filled with sadness. "Hermes will take you home."

"Pyrrha…" Jaune didn't know what to say. His longing, his happiness, his sadness all flooded through him, through the bond between him and Pyrrha, and into her through their dæmons.

Pyrrha nodded. "I know." She sent a warm pulse of love toward Jaune. "Our bond won't break, no matter how far away I am. I'll be back. I promise."

"I'll be waiting." Jaune spared one last glance at his soulmate standing in the moonlight, her fiery hair taking on a silvery sheen, her eyes shining like emerald stars, before walking back toward home.

They reached Jaune's house, and he beckoned Hermes to approach again. The hawk landed on his shoulder, and Jaune nuzzled his cheek against his feathers. Eliana also hurried over, rubbing her head against Hermes's wing.

"Until we meet again," Hermes whispered, touching his beak to Eliana's brow before flying off into the night.

Jaune didn't realize he was crying until Eliana's soft tail brushed his cheeks, wiping the silent tears away.

….

More bad news came to Weiss soon after Pyrrha's departure. Jacques Schnee had finally gotten tired of waiting for the Arcs to invest in his company. Considering what Weiss now knew about Ilia, she wasn't surprised to find that they weren't going to hand over any money.

Of course, Jacques didn't think about the morality of his company and how that would affect people's opinions. No, he elected to blame Weiss.

"What were you even doing with that boy?!" he raged. "How could you spend so much time with him, and not convince him of anything?!"

"We mostly just talked," Weiss murmured. "I only saw his parents a few times."

"Useless!" Jacques snapped. "What good are you if you can't even manipulate a boy as obviously stupid as him?!"

"He's not stupid!"

Smack!

In an instant, Weiss was sprawled on the ground, her cheek stinging. Anmut pressed himself into her arms, rubbing his cool, smooth beak against the bruise. He shivered when the gray wolf growled and snapped her jaws just short of one of his wings.

"Do not talk back to me!" Jacques growled. He took a step back, rubbing his brow with irritation. "It seems that I've been too lenient with you. Well, no matter. I've started to look for actual suitors for you. If you can hold your tongue a little while longer, we might be able to find you a decent husband."

A feeling of fear and disgust more powerful than even the physical pain of the bruise went through Weiss at that moment. She imagined being given over to some rich man who was just like Jacques, belonging to him, having to offer herself and her dæmon to him every night… She had to use all her self-control to keep from shuddering.

"Also," Jacques continued. "You may now only eat one pastry during our events. If you can keep quiet and keep your figure somewhat close to what it should be, we may have a chance at doing this quickly." Brusquely, he turned and left Weiss's room, the door shutting loudly behind him.

Weiss let herself cry then, pressing her face into Anmut's feathers. She found herself wondering what the Faunus did when they felt alone and didn't have a dæmon to turn to.

Later on, she ran into Whitley, who was still wearing the uniform from his recent fencing lesson. He clucked his tongue when he saw the bruise on Weiss's cheek. At his side, Demetria was in the form of a pale-furred weasel, which was the dæmon of his fencing teacher.

"Angered Father again, did we?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow and giving her a "You should know better" look. "You should really put some concealer on that. You know how he hates it when those stay visible. I have some in my room, if you need it."

"I'm fine," Weiss said. She had more than enough concealing makeup. She just didn't use it for her bruises. She resisted the urge to lift her hand to check her left eye.

An idea suddenly occurred to her as she looked at her brother's practice saber. "Whitley, do you think you could teach me how to fence?"

Whitley's brows went even further up. "Why on earth would you want to do that?"

"I get bored," Weiss said, shrugging her shoulders. "It looks like it could be fun."

"No," Whitley said immediately. "One, fencing is for men. Two, Father wouldn't like it. Three, if you're bored, I'm sure you could just spend more time with Mother. Lord knows I've been doing the majority of that lately."

He walked off briskly, and Weiss tried not to let his rejection sting too much. She honestly should have expected such a response.

Still, he was right about one thing: Weiss had been neglecting her mother lately. Turning down the next hallway, she started toward Willow's room, already bracing herself for the smell of alcohol.

 **You know, there are many different kinds of villains. There are the funny villains, the tragic villains, the gray villains, the redeemable villains… And then there are the truly evil bastards. The more I write Jacques, the more adept I feel at typing the evil, despicable breed of villain that we all long to stab.**

 **And don't worry about Pyrrha. She'll be back. I guarantee that.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	6. The Spaniel's Guidance

**Greetings, my lovelies! We're back with another chapter! Today sees me trying and failing, yet again, to find a well-paying job that doesn't require a billion years of experience, four degrees, and knowledge of at least two foreign languages. I'm gonna be real: I'm ready to be at that stage in my life where I have several successful books and games out, am making a crap-ton of money, and have nothing to worry about except writing new chapters of stuff and answering fan-mail.**

 **Until then, enjoy!**

For nearly a week, Weiss was on the very brink of despair. Her life had been pointless, boring, and awful before, but returning to her usual routine after experiencing only a month with actual friends, with her soulmate, was utterly unbearable.

She and Anmut were on edge constantly, the swan's feathers never totally smooth at any given time. It quickly became clear that they would have to come up with something, or risk going mad due to boredom and agitation.

One thing she did do was spend more time with Willow, at Whitley's suggestion. She noticed several things as she helped her mother to and from the table, fetched her drinks, and listened to her drunken ramblings.

First of all, her mother was always more drunk in the mornings and evenings. During the afternoon, Willow was almost sober. Weiss had a feeling it had something to do with the fact that Jacques was usually busy during the afternoon.

Second, her mother had a secret stash of cedarwood incense, which she used on Varian in the late afternoon, just before she started to double her drinking for the evening.

Third, the only time her mother showed any sign of life was whenever Klein and Sonja brought in her afternoon tea.

"Find yourself a nice man, Weiss," she instructed one day, nibbling on a tea biscuit. "He doesn't have to be rich. Money won't do a thing for you but provide something you can be used for." She was full of these bits of sage advice in her not-quite-sober moments.

Klein often accompanied Weiss to and from Willow's room, his presence a silent comfort. Knowledge of what Weiss was missing out on floated between the two like an unpleasant cloud, eventually prompting Klein to reveal a secret.

He handed her her cloak one night and asked her to help him carry the wine to Willow's room from the cellar. Weiss was shocked at first. A servant asking a Schnee to help with a chore was absolutely unheard of. Anmut glanced around furtively, half expecting the gray wolf to leap from the shadows and close her jaws over the spaniel dæmon's throat.

"Trust me," he murmured, and Weiss followed only because she did trust Klein. She trusted him more than anyone else in the Manor.

The wine cellar was cold, damp, and smelled of mildew and ancient dust. Klein led Weiss past several shelves holding bottles of various ages and colors. The two walked on until the only light came from Klein's candle. Anmut pressed close to Weiss's leg, squinting in the darkness.

Then, they reached an incline leading upward, which Klein indicated. "This leads into the back garden. There's a gap in the shrubbery a little to the left that you'll have to look for. On the other side of that are some loose planks on the fence. Make sure you put them back in place after going through them in either direction." He handed her a key. "The doors lock from the inside, but this will get you back in."

Weiss stared at the old wooden doors, then at Klein. "How long have you been using this?"

"Since the other servants saw fit to trust me with the secret," Klein replied with a chuckle. "This little trick has been around long before I was. It's used whenever one of us needs to get away but can't afford to let anyone know when or where. I've used it frequently to see some old friends from my previous job."

Weiss was stunned, but not quite surprised. "I suppose I'm not the only one who feels trapped here."

"By no means, my child," Klein murmured. "I would have shown this to you sooner, but I had to convince the others that you could be trusted, that you wouldn't go running to your father with this information."

"I won't!" Weiss promised. "I swear on Anmut."

Klein nodded in approval. "I believe you." He glanced around. "Another thing: Make sure to inform me whenever you need to use this passage. I'll escort you personally. There are a few servants who might decide to curry favor with your father by snitching on you. I can bring you down when they won't be in the area. Also, I'd rather know you're gone so I can look out for your return."

"Of course." Weiss threw her arms around Klein. "Thank you so much, Klein!"

Klein hugged her back gladly, his heart warming at how naturally the gesture had come to her. _That soulmate of hers is truly doing so much for her._ He drew back. "Now, get going. The evening's young, after all, and your friends are surely missing you."

Weiss needed no further prompting. Pulling her hood over her head, she pushed the door open. Anmut paused to touch his beak to Sonja's nose before following.

Stepping out of the stuffy, cold cellar and into the fresh, flower-scented air of the garden was every bit as sweet and rewarding as it probably felt to be breathing freely for the first time. Weiss felt drunk just by breathing in and had to remind herself to quickly find the gap Klein had told her about. She closed the doors and hurried to the shrubbery, feeling until she found a spot that was barely as wide as she was. She slipped through it carefully, got to the fence, and wiggled the planks loose. Once everything was in place, she hurried toward town.

The path was well-known to her by now and walking around in the dark didn't scare her nearly as much as it had before. She still made sure to remain aware of her surroundings. Unsavory folks did wander around at this time, after all.

As she drew closer to Yang's neighborhood, she heard a familiar sound: cheers punctuated by meaty smacks. _There must be a fight going on._ Immediately, she changed course, already knowing that she'd find her soulmate in the direction of the noise.

She reached the edge of the dump, wrinkling her nose a bit at the smell. She skirted the crowd this time, searching for someone she recognized. Every now and then, she'd come close to an unfamiliar Faunus, evoking a tremor in her. However, she was able to control herself enough so that there was no visible sign of agitation in Anmut.

As she circled around, she glanced at the ring, where two men were fighting. One was a Faunus with a wolf tail, while the other was a human whose crow dæmon was perched on a special stand that had been set up outside the ring's boundaries. The crow cawed eagerly as her human gained an upper hand against his opponent.

A voice politely cleared her throat nearby, and Weiss turned to see Blake standing next to her. "Hello, Blake," she greeted cheerfully, grateful that Blake hadn't tapped her shoulder. She was still a bit on edge in this crowd.

"Hey," Blake replied, her ears twitching and her expression holding a combination of surprise and respect. "I didn't expect to see you. Did you sneak out to see Yang's fight?"

"I honestly didn't know Yang was fighting tonight," Weiss admitted. "My butler just showed me a way out, and I happened to hear the noises on the way to Yang's house."

"Well, you picked a good night," Blake remarked, starting to nudge through the crowd, beckoning Weiss to follow. "Yang's been a bit gloomy this past week. Seeing you might give her some extra strength."

"Has she?" Weiss inquired, her heart doing a flip. On one hand, she hated the thought of Yang being as sad as she had been. On the other, the fact that Yang did feel that way meant that she had missed Weiss and would surely be happy to see her again.

Happy was an understatement. As soon as Yang spotted Weiss, she made a beeline for her, pushing through other fighters on the way, Yong Shi padding at her side, eyes keen as they fixed on Anmut.

Yang grabbed Weiss in a hug so fierce, the heiress briefly stopped breathing. She felt herself being lifted clear off the ground, and let out a squeak of surprise, clinging to Yang's shoulders for support. She felt her cheek pressed against her soulmate's messy golden hair, felt those strong, slightly-sweaty arms squeezing her, and knew she was where she needed to be.

Yong Shi bounded to Anmut, touching his nose to the swan's beak, purring as Anmut rubbed his head against his tangled mane. He lifted a large paw to bat gently at the other dæmon's side and carefully nuzzled his slender neck.

Weiss was still clinging to Yang's shoulders when the taller girl loosened her grip, and she noticed that her feet weren't touching the ground. Yang's arms were still wrapped lightly around her, and she didn't seem to be protesting Weiss's close proximity, so Weiss didn't let go right away. It was strangely satisfying being held up so effortlessly by her strong soulmate.

"Man, you're short," Sun's voice piped up, cutting into the moment without actually ruining it. "I mean, Ruby's the shortest, but you're still up there. Or, I guess it's down there."

"Hey!" Ruby huffed, folding her arms.

"Sorry, shorty." Sun snickered, ruffling Ruby's hair, fending off Ruby's blows with his free hand.

Weiss giggled, finally moving back enough from Yang to touch the ground. "I'm glad everyone's well."

Yang was grinning uncontrollably. The moment she had seen Weiss and Anmut walking through the crowd, she was filled with a feeling of relief and happiness so intense, it was as if she had taken those special herbs some of the fighters chewed to make themselves immune to pain. Looking at Weiss now, seeing the brightness of those blue eyes and the flush decorating those pale cheeks, she knew on some deep level that she was starting to fall for her soulmate.

Yong Shi rolled his eyes at her, giving her a very clear "Well, duh!" look that only she noticed.

"You got here just in time!" Yang said, nodding toward the ring. "My fight's gonna be after this next one. You'd better cheer me on."

"Of course," Weiss replied. "I just hope I don't distract you like last time."

Yang laughed. "No way! I'm feeling invincible tonight!" She stepped back, cracking her knuckles while Yong Shi flexed his claws and stretched. "And Dad'll have meat roasting on the fire outside once we get home. He just got back from hunting, and he actually caught some stuff! Man, it's a good day!"

The ringleader called Yang's name and she sauntered eagerly up to the ring, winking over her shoulder at Weiss as she went. She jumped over the makeshift rope barriers, getting into a fighting position and fixing her opponent, a tall young woman with a scrappy-looking fox dæmon, with a confident stare.

For a moment, the other woman seemed to shrink a little under the ferocity of Yang and her lion dæmon, but she quickly straightened up, readying her fists. Next to her, the fox snarled.

The bell rang and Yang rushed her opponent, fists flying without mercy. She could feel Yong Shi sinking his jaws into the fox's leg, heard the yip of pain, and knew already that the fight was hers. She was aware of Weiss's gaze on her every moment.

As she put the girl in a headlock, she heard her soulmate shouting: "Take her down, Yang! Get her!" in a voice that was so uncharacteristically aggressive, Yang couldn't help but feel attracted to it.

Gritting her teeth, she slammed the woman to the ground. Next to her, Yong Shi had a firm grip of the fox's scruff.

"One!" the ringleader shouted. "Two! Three! Match goes to Yang Xiao Long!"

Yang let the woman go and stood up, offering her hand. "Good match," she commented, unable to keep the smile from her face.

"I knew it was yours right when you stepped into the ring," the woman admitted as she stood up. "You're fierce!"

"Why, thank you!" Yang shook her hand while Yong Shi licked the bite on the fox dæmon's leg. When she rejoined her friends, Weiss hurried over.

"Yang, that was fantastic!" she gasped. Her heart was pounding and her blood was boiling as if she had been the one fighting. Yang had looked simply beautiful while in the ring. It had seemed almost as if there was an aura of golden fire surrounding her. When the lights from the lanterns hit her eyes, they almost seemed red.

"Eh, I try," Yang said with a shrug, utterly failing at even pretending to be modest.

"Great match, Yang." It was Jaune who spoke now. He had found his way to where Weiss was and had watched the match silently, already knowing that his friend would win. Her soulmate's presence had practically solidified it.

"Jaune!" Weiss gladly hugged him. "How have you been?" She knew that he likely was missing Pyrrha a great deal. Her own feelings that past week were probably only mere shadows compared to Jaune, who had to deal with his soulmate being miles and miles away.

"I'm okay," Jaune said, smiling comfortingly. "I miss Pyrrha a lot, but we established the soul bond before she left. I can feel her, no matter where she is." He closed his eyes for a moment, a serene smile coming to his face. "Hermes is over the northern tundra right now. If I concentrate, I can feel the wind under his wings. I dream about them sometimes."

"That sounds lovely," Weiss said a little wistfully. She didn't meet Yang's gaze, though, just in case she saw her soulmate casting a hopeful glance toward Anmut.

 _We both want it,_ Anmut noted silently, giving her an earnest look.

 _But we can't!_ Weiss thought back. _We just can't. What if we can't separate Yang's touch from…from the touch of others? It would ruin everything._

Yang watched Weiss and Anmut silently. She saw the look that passed between them and shared one with Yong Shi. _What's holding them back?_ she wondered. _What are they so scared of?_

Yong Shi let out a sigh. _Maybe we should ask them after all. I don't know, though…_

 _If we ask, but make sure they know they don't have to say anything…_

 _That might work…_ the lion allowed, scuffing a large paw in the dust.

There were a few more fights, including one between Yang and a sharp-clawed Faunus. Yong Shi sat outside the ring, wincing at every blow his human received, then roaring triumphantly when she finally won. Afterward, they collected their winnings and went home with their friends.

Taiyang was roasting a few small rabbits and ducks on sticks around a fire pit that had been set up a few yards away from the pump. Several Faunus from the District, and some humans, had gathered around and were gratefully accepting meat as it was cut off of the roasting animals.

As they got closer, Ilia suddenly appeared beside Weiss. "Here." She smudged some dirt onto the heiress's cheeks. "Keep your head low, and no one will know who you are."

Weiss nodded, lowering her eyes.

Yang ran over to Taiyang, hugging her dad as Yong Shi sniffed the meat. The doe dæmon gently headbutted the lion away from the fire. "Dad, I won!"

"That's great, sweetheart!" Taiyang said, hugging his daughter tightly. "Hey, look who's here!" He grinned at Weiss, though was careful not to call her by name with the mixed company around. "Want some roast duck?"

"Um, sure," Weiss replied, making her voice as casual as possible. She accepted some meat and stood back while the others got theirs. She looked around for a plate, frowning when the grease started to run down her arm.

"Just take a bite," Ruby whispered. "Don't worry. You don't need to be proper here."

Weiss raised an eyebrow and glanced at Anmut, who tilted his head at her. After a moment, she brought the fragrant, greasy meat to her mouth and took a bite. Juices flooded her mouth, along with a hint of salt and a pure duck flavor that shocked her. She was used to eating duck served with an orange glaze, or some other kind of sauce. She had never tasted it in its pure form before. It was fantastic!

Yang joined Weiss, elbowing her lightly. "Look at you. Sneaking out of your house, eating meat with your bare hands. You're becoming a real rebel."

Weiss blushed, wiping her mouth before replying. "Well, once you get a taste, it's hard to go back."

"I'm glad you did," Yang said honestly. "Not having you around was ducking boring."

Weiss awarded her with a deadpanned glare.

"What? Was that a fowl attempt at humor?"

"No," Weiss replied. "I just think a different response would have fit the bill better."

"Eh," Yong Shi said. "Passable, but not great."

"Everyone's a critic!" Weiss huffed.

The friends sat together for another hour, until Weiss knew she had to go home. Taiyang volunteered to escort her part of the way.

For a little while, they walked in silence. As they drew closer to the rich district, Taiyang looked down at Weiss. "You know it's dangerous out here at night," he noted. "You've been lucky so far."

"I know," Weiss affirmed. "I'm cautious."

"That may not be enough," Taiyang insisted. "I know that you being stuck in that Manor is way worse to you than most dangers, so I won't ask you to stop coming. Heck, I wouldn't do that anyway. Yang cares too much about you."

Weiss smiled at this, her chest warming.

"But please think about bringing a weapon of some kind," Taiyang continued. "Even if it's a kitchen knife. I'd feel a lot better if you did."

"I will," Weiss said. Honestly, she was genuinely touched by Taiyang's concern. He reminded her a bit of Klein. "Thank you, sir."

"No problem." Taiyang gave her a one-armed hug while the doe licked Anmut's brow. "You take care, okay?"

Weiss returned to the Manor with Anmut, sneaking through the fence, into the garden, and back into the cellar. The stuffy air closed around her, as if symbolizing her return to her cage, and she quickly re-applied her metaphorical mask. Still, as she walked back to her room, the taste of duck fat lingered tantalizingly on her tongue.

…..

Klein heard Whitley's hushed footsteps long before the young heir reached the kitchen. "Would you like to make the batter or the frosting tonight?" he asked without turning around.

"Batter, please." Whitley strode over to the cupboard, taking out a large mixing bowl and returning to the counter, where Klein already had the ingredients spread out. "Can we make the chocolate one tonight?"

"Of course. You know where the cocoa powder is." Klein watched as Whitley returned to the cupboard.

Sonja was eying Demetria, who had taken the form of a mouse and was sitting on Whitley's shoulder. The dæmon's tiny nose kept twitching as she looked toward the kitchen door fearfully.

"Relax," Whitley whispered to the mouse. "No one saw us come down."

"You don't know that," Demetria whispered. "I'm just being careful."

He didn't need to look at any books. The chocolate cake recipe was well-known to him. He measured out the ingredients with practiced ease while Klein prepared the oven. The familiar act of making precise measurements and mixing them together just so filled his thoughts, driving all other things away: his mother's recent drunken ramblings, his father's lectures on what Whitley would need to do when he was in charge of the company, his pain from yet another failed fencing lesson… As he worked, he felt Demetria growing calmer, eventually turning into a small white cat as she watched his hands move.

Klein noted this with a smile. Demetria was always freer with her shapeshifting when Whitley was baking. Sometimes, she became a cat. Other times, she was a dove. Once, when Whitley was really focused, Demetria had hopped onto the counter, taking the form of a little white fox.

She was always white. Klein knew she did it intentionally, due to that silly notion that the Schnees were "pure" because Willow and all of her children had white dæmons: an ermine, a swan, and a banished snowy owl.

 _If that's true,_ Klein thought. _What does that say about Jacques?_ He thought of the wolf dæmon and her gray fur, which reminded him of filth regardless of how well-groomed it was.

People were starting to talk, wondering when Whitley's dæmon would settle, marking him as a legal adult. Klein had heard enough whispers during the more recent parties by people who had already decided that something was wrong with Whitley, that he was stunted in some way. Klein knew the truth.

Whitley didn't know who he was. He knew what he was supposed to be, and he bent over backwards trying to become it. But it wouldn't work. No matter how much he tried to become an unthinking clone of his father, it wouldn't happen. There was so much more to him than that, even if no one else could see it.

Klein watched the care with which Whitley poured the batter into the cupcake tins. These cakes would be served with Willow's afternoon tea, though she wouldn't know who made them. Just the same, Klein knew that Whitley would decorate the cakes carefully once they were done, making little swirls with the frosting and cutting strawberries into tiny hearts, placing them tenderly on top with the hope that his mother would notice their shape and smile, if only for a moment.

 **I know it may be a bit of a stretch to turn a love for crepes that was mentioned once into a secret passion for baking…but these are my headcanons!**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	7. The Lion's Trust

**Here we are again! Today, you find me on the edge of what will probably be the worst weekend ever. I'm working from 9:30 tomorrow until 1:00 Sunday morning, then from noon to 5:30 on Sunday! Let me tell you: I'm ready to be a rich author. I'm very eager to be at that point in my life.**

 **Enjoy!**

"You know what?" Sun said through a mouthful of cream, pastry, and chocolate frosting "When I'm rich, I'm gonna hire my own personal chef to make this stuff for me all the time." He scarfed down the rest of his éclair, leaning back with a contented sigh.

"And how are you going to get that rich?" Blake asked, taking a bite of her treat: two sugar cookies with jam sandwiched between them.

"I'm thinking I should marry into a rich family who's okay with open relationships," Sun said casually. "Hey, Weiss? You know any?"

Weiss chuckled. "Why don't you ask one of Jaune's sisters?"

Sun's tail twitched. "Ooh, that's a good idea. What about it, Jaune?"

"Somehow, I don't think they'd go for that," Jaune replied. "I'll let you know when Katie's a little older, though."

"Oh, so I just get to be your mistress? Is that it?" Blake drawled, flicking Sun's forehead.

"Ow! Hey, you can marry a rich guy! Then, we can double up."

"I'm sure there's no downside to this plan at all," Weiss muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Well, you're just gonna have to keep sneaking goods out for us until then," Sun said with a shrug. "I gotta hand it to you. Getting a whole box of goodies out of that place must have been difficult."

"Not really," Weiss said, though her cheeks flushed at the praise. "Klein had them ready for me when I went into the cellar. I had no idea there were so many leftovers. We haven't had a party recently, and Mother only has a few things for her afternoon tea."

"Maybe Klein makes full batches," Yang suggested. "Then shares with everyone else. Seems like something he'd do."

"It does," Weiss agreed. She noticed Ruby nibbling on the edge of a candy with a contemplative expression. "That's marzipan. Do you like it?"

"I'm not sure…" Ruby muttered, taking a small bite. It had a thick, doughy texture and an overwhelming almond flavor.

"It's fine if you don't. Marzipan isn't for everyone."

"No, I know. I'm just not sure how I feel about it. It's really almond-y." Ruby popped the rest of the candy into her mouth and chewed.

"Thanks for the food, Weiss." Yang stretched out her arms, casually letting one fall across Weiss's shoulders She was thrilled when the heiress instinctively scooted closer. "Nothing like fancy pastries to make us feel classy for a little while."

As if on cue, Sun let out a loud belch. Ruby burst out laughing while Blake rolled her eyes.

"Can you believe I'm in love with this idiot?" the cat Faunus muttered.

Weiss couldn't help but notice a distinctly sad look crossing Ilia's face, as well as a definite bluing of her freckles. She remembered Jaune telling her that Ilia was in love with Blake and felt a flash of empathy for the poor girl.

Meanwhile, Ruby popped another piece of marzipan into her mouth. "Okay, I like this," she decided. "Hey, Jaune? Have you heard anything from Pyrrha?"

Jaune nodded, his smile widening. "I had a dream last night where she talked to me. She said she's arranging for a Gyptian ship to take me up north when they come here in the fall."

"Do you think you'll go?" Yang asked, though the wistful look on Jaune's face was answer enough.

"I think so," Jaune said. "I've talked about it with my parents. They said they'll give me enough money to make a start up there. It won't be easy, but I've been wanting to go out on my own for a while now…" He sighed. "I'll really miss you all, though."

"Hey, maybe some of us will join you," Sun commented. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm tired of this place. I hear they actually treat Faunus like people up north!"

"That would be great!" Jaune grinned. "I'll check with Pyrrha. I have a feeling Hermes will be dropping by soon, so I can ask him if it's possible."

"Aw…" Ruby pouted. "You're gonna leave us behind?"

"Hey, if we go, why shouldn't everyone?" Blake asked, her ears perking up at how genuinely exciting this idea was. "I've heard the hunting is pretty good up there, so Taiyang wouldn't have trouble finding employment."

"Yeah, we could all-" Yang stopped suddenly, her heart sinking as she glanced at Weiss. _Stupid, stupid, stupid._ To her surprise, however, Weiss was smiling.

"Think you could hide me somewhere?" the heiress asked.

Yang gaped, but quickly recovered as her expression turned into a full grin. "Please. You're so tiny, I could probably hide you in my coat without anyone noticing."

Weiss giggled. "And if someone tries searching you?"

"I'll punch them in the gut and tell them to stop touching me!" Yang laughed.

"Oh, I'm sure that won't raise suspicion at all." Weiss lightly elbowed her soulmate while Anmut let out an amused honk.

After that, conversation turned to the many different ways they could smuggle Weiss up north while paying their own way up. The plans became increasingly ridiculous as an hour passed.

"So, we cover her in wax, which will dry clear," Sun was saying. "Then, we can just say we're delivering a really-realistic wax sculpture!"

"And how will I breathe?" Weiss asked. "Or eat?"

"We can cut little holes in the wax."

"It would still crack when I chewed things. Also, I'm not about to spend several weeks encased in wax, never taking a bath. Next plan." Weiss rolled her eyes.

Despite the half-joking nature of the conversation, Weiss felt a definite quickening within her. Now that she knew for certain that her sister was up north, living in a state of true freedom, she wanted nothing more than to join her. If her friends wanted to go north, even in passing, was it possible that she wouldn't have to leave them behind after all?

Also, it would definitely be easier to plan an escape with more people. _And, we have a witch on our side,_ she thought.

Anmut's eyes were bright, and his wings flapped excitedly.

Yong Shi purred, nuzzling the swan's back. "I think we can do it," he murmured.

"I hope so," Anmut replied, rubbing his head against the lion's cheek. "I don't want to be away from you."

"If we were north, you wouldn't have to sneak anymore," Yong Shi pointed out.

Yang and Weiss felt the conversation between their dæmons and simultaneously started blushing. They glanced at each other, smiling shyly as the romantic-bordering-on-cliché thought of running away together settled in both of their minds.

Baynar stood up, suddenly tense as he glared in the direction of the Faunus District. He sniffed the air, his fur bristling and a low growl rising in his throat.

"What is it?" Ruby stood up. "Smoke… Something's on fire!"

Immediately, Sun climbed up to the top of the Xiao Long house, squinting into the distance. "Shit, that's our neighborhood!"

Blake and Ilia were already rushing toward the District, followed by Yang and Jaune.

Weiss stood up, her expression uncertain, her limbs freezing up at the thought of actually going in there. _There's probably a riot of some kind…_

"Weiss, Ruby, go inside with Dad!" Yang ordered. There was no question about it. Ruby was too young to get involved in this, and Weiss was terrified and possessed no fighting experience. "Stay there until we get back. This may spread closer, so don't go outside."

Weiss needed no further prompting, and hurriedly pushed Ruby toward the house, shutting the door behind her. It was then that she felt a deep flush of shame. She hadn't hesitated to run away, leaving her soulmate to help Blake, Sun, Ilia, and Jaune without her. What if she got hurt?

This time, it was Anmut who stopped her from doing something impulsive. "What good would we do?" he hissed. "Yang is strong. She won't get hurt."

Taiyang seemed to realize what was happening immediately. He brought the girls into the kitchen and made some very watery coffee. "This happens sometimes," he explained to Weiss. "Someone gets into a fight, and it gets out of control. Other people come in and try to take advantage of the chaos by looting places."

"Why, though?" Weiss wondered. "I mean, Faunus are so looked down upon by humans. I'd think that they'd want to band together and not hurt each other."

Taiyang shook his head. "That's not how it works, kiddo. When all you know is oppression and hatred, that changes you. Many of the Faunus in there are all alone in their struggles, and don't know how to trust anyone else. They pass that onto their children, and as a result, they become more and more suspicious of everyone as time goes on."

Weiss thought about how closed off she had been not so long ago and understood immediately. "Is there something we could do to help them?"

"Not unless you can change the law and give Faunus equal rights," Taiyang said. "Even then, it would take years and years for things to truly heal."

Weiss glanced to the side. "I never really thought about how hard it is for them."

Ruby patted her shoulder. "Well, it's not your fault. You've kinda been locked away in a mansion most of your life."

"There are a lot of problems in the world," Taiyang pointed out. "And it's easiest to focus on the ones closest to us. I do my part by giving away some of what I bring back from hunting trips, since I know a lot of the people around here are hungry."

"But, aren't you hungry?" Weiss asked. "Isn't that why Yang fights in the rings?"

"She finds ways to get some of that to Blake and the others," Taiyang explained. "We get by with what's left. Sometimes, we're able to buy a lot of food, and even a few items we don't need. Other times, we don't. When we have extra, however, we always try to share it."

Weiss touched Anmut's head as she digested all this. "My father holds grand charity balls, but it's more for his status than anything. If he wanted to, he could probably rebuild this entire area and give jobs to everybody. I know I would if I had money of my own."

"I know you would, sweetie," Taiyang assured her. "You have a good heart."

Weiss remembered Hermes saying the same thing when they first met. "Why is it that people who have less do so much more for others?"

"It's because we know what it's like to be where they are," Taiyang sighed. His doe dæmon rested her head on his lap, her eyes on the door as she waited for the first sign of Yang and Yong Shi.

Time dragged itself along like a dying animal, and Weiss felt herself growing tenser and tenser by the minute. Scenarios started to play in her mind, scenarios where someone got hurt or worse. Her heart trembled at the thought of Sun, Blake, Ilia, or Jaune on the ground, bleeding onto the filthy streets. She didn't even allow herself to wonder what might happen to Yang. If she let herself imagine being forever separated from her soulmate, forever ignorant of the bond they could have shared, she would probably break down on the spot, and she didn't want to scare Ruby.

Baynar sensed Weiss's unease and padded over to Anmut, snuggling against the swan's side and licking the side of his neck with a warm tongue.

"Weiss," Taiyang eventually said. "Would you like me to walk you home? It's getting late."

Weiss shook her head. "I need to see that they're safe."

Suddenly, she remembered something. _The flower!_ She reached into her cloak's pocket, feeling the tiny flower that Pyrrha had given her. _I just need to think of her, and she'll-_

Before she could finish the thought, the door swung open. Jaune and Yang hurried in, supporting Ilia between them. Taiyang immediately got up to help, leading them over to the couch. Weiss hurried over.

"What happened?" she gasped. "Can I get anything?"

"Ruby, get water," Taiyang demanded. "Weiss, get the pan so we can boil it."

Weiss obeyed while listening to Yang explain what had happened.

"Some looters got into Sun and Blake's house," she said. "Stole basically all of the food. We managed to save most of the books, but Ilia got into a fight with one of the looters. He was trying to rip the cover from one of the books, thought the gilded edges might be worth something."

Weiss gasped. "Gilded edges? Oh dear…I think that's the book I gave Blake last week…"

"Hey." Yang hurried over to Weiss, putting a hand on her shoulder. "This isn't your fault. Looters can hit anywhere. Ilia's okay. We just need to clean up those cuts and let her rest until her head stops hurting."

Ruby returned with the water, which Yang set to a boil. Not sure what else to do, Weiss went over to where Taiyang and Jaune were comforting Ilia. She winced at the sight of several nasty-looking cuts and a sizeable lump on the side of the Faunus's head. "Will you be okay?"

Ilia groaned. "I'll be fine. I've had worse." She glanced up at Weiss. "Blake really liked that book. Wish I could've saved it."

"You did what you could," Weiss assured her. "I can always sneak another book out." Her father mostly kept books as ornaments, anyway.

"Nah. Don't get in trouble." Ilia let out a cough. "Wouldn't want Daddy getting mad, huh?" When Weiss frowned, Ilia grimaced. "Sorry. That sounded more lighthearted and funny in my head."

"It's quite alright," Weiss assured her.

"You know, it's weird. You're not half-bad for a Schnee," Ilia muttered.

"And how many Schnees have you met?" Weiss shot back.

"I…" Ilia paused, then let out a short laugh. "Good point."

Yang and Ruby returned with the boiled water. Taiyang dipped a rag into the water, wrung it out, and started cleaning the cuts. "Jaune, why don't you take Weiss home? I can handle this."

"I'll do it," Yang cut in. "If you don't need anything else."

Taiyang nodded. "Okay, but hurry back."

Yang led Weiss out, her arm wrapped firmly around her soulmate's shoulders as they moved further and further away from the smell of smoke. Once they were a good distance away, they slowed down.

It was then that all the worry that had been building up in Weiss crashed down on her, and she flung her arms around Yang. She let out a sob as those strong arms immediately came up to support her. "I'm sorry," she gasped. "I must seem so pathetic right now. I just… I got so worried, and…"

"Shh, hey. Don't worry about it. I'm fine." Yang held Weiss close, hating the way her smaller form was trembling so much. "I've helped out my friends in the District during lootings before. It's nothing to worry about."

"I wish there was more I could do," Weiss murmured, nuzzling Yang's shoulder. "I just feel so useless. I can't help you financially, and I'm worthless in a fight because there's no way for me to learn how to, and now I'm standing here crying while Ilia isn't shedding a single tear after being slashed up, and…and…"

"Shh," Yang repeated. "Look, it's not your fault. Your dad doesn't give you any actual money, but you're still helping us by sneaking food out whenever you visit. And you've never had to fight anyone, so who could expect you to know how?"

An idea hit her. "Actually," she placed Weiss down, wiping at her soulmate's cheeks with her sleeve. "What if I taught you?"

Weiss's eyes widened. "Really? You could teach me how to fight?"

"Yeah, why not?" Yang grinned. "I've been doing it for years, and I've already taught Ruby some self-defense moves. I can do the same for you next time I see you. We'll just need to be careful. I doubt it would be good if you had visible bruises at home, after all."

"Oh, I have makeup to hide bruises," Weiss said brusquely. "That won't be a problem."

Yong Shi stiffened, growling softly.

Anmut dipped his head sadly in response to the lion's silent question, nodding his head once.

Yang's eyes prickled as she realized exactly why Weiss would have that kind of makeup on hand. She pulled her soulmate into yet another hug. "There's something else," she murmured. "I've been thinking, and I've decided that I want you to touch Yong Shi."

Weiss pushed away, her eyes wide. "Y-Yang, I…I can't. I…"

"Hold on." Yang held up a hand. "I'm not asking to touch Anmut until you want me to. What I want is for you to make the bond with Yong Shi, so you'll be able to feel me, even when you're stuck at the Manor." She placed a hand on Yong Shi's head. "I miss you when you're gone, but I have Ruby and all my friends. You and Anmut are all alone up there. I don't want you to feel that way, and I don't want you to worry if I have to help Blake and the others in the District again."

Weiss felt a tear trickling down her cheek. Her heart was pounding, and she felt so incredibly warm. Yang was offering to let her touch her dæmon, offering up her very soul, and expected nothing in return. "Yang, I…" she trailed off, unable to speak all of a sudden.

Anmut gazed at the lion with shining black eyes, thinking what his human had only just realized. _I love you._

"You don't have to do it now," Yang said. "Not if you aren't comfortable with it. I just want you to know that you can, and I won't ask for anything from you."

Weiss reached a shaking hand toward Yong Shi, watched his eyes close and his mighty head bow before her. Just before her fingertips touched his mane, she stopped, suddenly very aware of the fact that they were in the middle of an open street, right after a riot. "Not here," she said, drawing back. "Next time. When we can be alone somewhere."

Yang understood. "Okay." She brushed her hand against Weiss's cheek. "Will you be okay until then?"

"Yes," Weiss replied without hesitation. Just remembering Yang's face in that moment, remembering Yong Shi's devoted bow, would keep her strong until she could see them again. "Thank you, Yang." She stepped forward, hugging her soulmate one last time.

At their sides, Yong Shi wrapped a strong foreleg around Anmut's slender form, drawing him in and nuzzling him gently. Anmut nestled close, not wanting to move away for anything in the world.

The soulmates parted, and Weiss hurried back to the Manor. As they ran, she and Anmut spoke quietly.

"We have to tell her," Anmut insisted. "If she's willing to trust us so much, we have to."

"I know," Weiss replied. She knew that Yang wouldn't ask this of her, but she knew that she wouldn't touch Yong Shi until after she offered this freely: She was going to tell Yang exactly what had happened to her as a child. She would finally let those repressed memories come to the surface, and hope that everything wasn't ruined by them.

When they reached the safety of their room, Weiss entered her private washroom. She stared intently at her reflection in the mirror, at the perfect, beautiful, doll-like girl that her father paraded around so proudly. Her lip curled with disgust and she turned on the faucet. As the water splashed over her hands, she bent down and rubbed fiercely at her eyes.

As she rubbed, a layer of makeup slid from the left side of her face, turning the water flesh-colored as it swirled down the drain. She rubbed until that layer she was so used to, that layer that she applied every morning, was gone.

When she looked in the mirror again, she was greeted by her face, which looked exactly the same except for one thing: a single scar that began at her brow and ended below her left eye. A tremor went through her as she regarded it, but she forced herself to remain still, to keep staring at it.

"We're going to tell her," Weiss murmured, feeling Anmut's resolve hardening with her own as she stared at the flawed picture of herself, as she watched the face looking at her adopt a determined expression, one that gave her courage. "Even if we can't establish the bond, Yang is going to know me."

…..

Klein hurried to Willow's room, walking as fast as he could without drawing attention to himself. Weiss had been incredibly late coming home, and he had waited for her, his foot tapping and his heart sinking lower and lower as he wondered if something was wrong.

When Weiss returned, tear stains on her face, he didn't ask questions. He just hurried her off to bed, giving her a warm smile as she left the wine cellar.

Now, he rushed to his own soulmate, opening the door, holding a bottle of wine that he had forgotten to put in an ice bucket. He felt a pang when he saw that Willow was wide awake and staring at the door.

"You're late," she said bluntly.

"I know," he replied. "I'm sorry. I was…distracted." He walked over, placing the bottle on the table and holding out his hands.

To his surprise and dismay, Varian turned his nose up, letting out a quiet "Hmph!"

"What were you distracted by, Klein?" Willow asked, her voice sharp. "There's something you're not telling me, something worrying you."

"I'm sorry, Willow. I-" Klein stopped, suddenly aware of the way Willow's voice wasn't slurring. He reached for the empty wine bottle, only to find that it was actually mostly full. His heart sped up. "You haven't been drinking."

Willow tilted her head, then glanced toward the table. "I suppose not. I took a few sips, but then I got worried. I was wondering whether to go looking for you, or not. I must have forgotten." She reached for the bottle, but stopped when Klein's gentle, work-worn hand touched her arm. She loved the feel of that hand, so unlike the cold, overly-manicured hand of her husband. Klein's touch was rough and warm, the touch of an honest, hard-working man rather than a cold-hearted pretender.

"Could you forget to for a little longer, my dear?" Klein asked, his voice trembling with suppressed excitement. "For me?"

Willow met his warm caramel eyes and desperately wanted to say yes. "It's not that simple, Klein."

"What if I watered it down?" Klein asked. "Maybe there's a way for you to drink less and less over time."

"I…" Willow picked Varian up, cuddling him to her chest. "I can't, Klein. This is the only way I can endure being stuck with him. I'm sorry."

Klein breathed a sigh, drawing back. "I understand."

Varian slid from his human's chest and jumped into Klein's lap, snuggling against his front while making tiny chirruping noises. "You deserve so much better," he muttered.

Klein picked the dæmon up, feeling Willow's self-loathing and helplessness more than he ever had before. He kissed the ermine and stroked the white fur gently. "No, love. _You_ deserve better than that monster."

Sonja hopped into the bed, gladly accepting the gentle touch of Willow. She curled up at the woman's side, a comforting, warm weight on the blankets.

Willow sighed as Klein's devotion, sympathy, and his desperate wish to save her washed over her. _If only,_ she thought, her sober mind imagining with perfect clarity a future that could never be: one where she, Klein, both of her daughters, and her son were somewhere far away, somewhere they could be happy.

 _If only._

 **That's right, folks. Next week, we find out exactly what happened that made Weiss so scared of the Faunus District, and of establishing a soul bond. I'll be posting trigger warnings, of course, but fear not. I will be balancing out the angst with some fluff, as I feel you guys deserve it.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	8. The Swan's Confession

**I'm not gonna lie: When I first came up with this fic, this was one of the scenes I was most looking forward to typing. I'm hyped to be posting it at last.**

 **Trigger Warning: This chapter contains blood as well as violation in the form of unwanted dæmon touching.**

 **Enjoy!**

Weiss's limbs felt as if they were made of wood, and her ghost felt as if it was floating several feet above her, watching her body move through a hallucinogenic haze. Still, she tried to keep her focus sharp and her wits about her. She was sneaking out, after all. She had to be alert.

At her side, Anmut's feathers were puffed out, even as he tried to smooth them down with his beak. He looked at her with worried black eyes.

This was it. Tonight, they were finally going to revisit what had happened to them when they were children. They were going to open themselves up to Yang in a way they had never done for anyone else. Neither one felt even remotely ready for this.

Still, Weiss fixed a grim look of determination onto her face as she took the path down to the cellar, out the door, through the shrubbery, and into town.

Yang met her near the marketplace and nodded wordlessly toward the forest. This would be their first time going there after dark, but Weiss trusted that Yang knew her way. _There'd better not be any bears…_ she thought as they went under the shadowed trees.

They reached the clearing Yang had shown Weiss nearly two months ago and sat down. Weiss didn't reach for Yong Shi, and Yang didn't say anything. After a moment, Weiss looked up at Yang.

"Yang, there's something you need to know," she said, her breath already hitching.

Yang nodded. "I got a feeling from the way you and Anmut looked. What is it?"

Weiss placed a hand on her dæmon for comfort, combing her fingers through the smooth, white feathers. "I need you to understand why Anmut and I haven't created the bond with you, and why we're still scared to. I don't want you to think it's because of you."

Yang shook her head. "You don't need to tell me anything, Weiss. If you don't want to go through with the bond, that's okay."

"I do, though!" Weiss insisted. "I've never wanted anything more." Her cheeks flushed, and she looked at the ground. "You are honestly the best thing to ever happen to me, Yang, and I want to be closer to you. I'm just worried that I'll ruin it due to…due to what happened to me before."

Yang opened her mouth to say something, but a growl from Yong Shi stopped her.

 _Don't be impatient,_ he thought. _She'll get there when she's ready._

Yang took a breath and waited silently for Weiss to gain her bearings and continue.

Weiss stared at the ground, keeping one hand on Anmut as she finally spoke. "When I was a child, Father would take me and Winter with him to public appearances, back when he still needed to recruit common workers for the Company."

"Okay." Yang nodded once, encouraging her to continue.

"Well, one day, when I was with him, I decided that I wanted to go off on my own. Wander around." Weiss let out a humorless laugh. "I was curious as to what this strange town was like, so I slipped away while Father was talking to some people and Winter was being flirted with by two boys, and went down a road all by myself. I…ended up in the Faunus District."

Yang's heart sank. This would be the reason why Weiss was so scared of the District, why she had been so wary of Blake, Sun, and Ilia. Whatever reason it was, it couldn't be a good one.

Weiss drew Anmut closer, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes as she remembered that day. Like most memories one wants to suppress, it came forth in perfect, vivid detail when finally called.

She remembered running down the dirt path with Anmut, who was in the form of a tabby cat, giggling at the dust she kept kicking up. She then saw something that made her pause: a person with no dæmon, but a tail like that of a tiger.

"Do you think it's a monster?" Young Weiss whispered to Anmut, who turned into a robin and fluttered onto her shoulder.

"I don't think so. People would be more scared if it was. Let's go closer."

"Let's go closer," Weiss murmured, looking up at Yang. "We were so young and naïve then…"

Yong Shi's tail was lashing back and forth. He was already fearing the worst.

"I was only a little way into the District when someone grabbed me," Weiss said, her hands clenching. "I was picked up by a larger man. He knew exactly who I was."

The voice rang in her head like it was yesterday. "Well, lookee here, fellas! Caught me a little princess."

Another Faunus chuckled. "Those are some nice shoes, princess. You know your daddy bought them with our blood?"

Weiss remembered thrashing and scratching at her captor's arms. "You let me go!" she demanded while Anmut flew in circles around the Faunus, chirping furiously. "If you don't, my father will get you!"

That had been the wrong thing to day. The Faunus she could see lost all his mocking humor, his expression becoming something darker and scarier, something that reminded Weiss of Jacques's face right before he would strike her. He took a knife out of his pocket.

Yang's heart was pounding as she listened to the story. She wanted to move close and comfort Weiss, but Yong Shi held her back.

 _She needs space. Let her finish,_ he urged.

Weiss took a shuddering breath, then took a rag out of her pocket. She rubbed fiercely, angrily at the makeup she had worn throughout the day, scrubbing until half of her face was red. When she was done, she turned to face Yang fully.

Yang gasped. Under the makeup, which she hadn't even realized was there before, was a scar. A thin, straight scar. A scar from a knife. A scar from someone who had deliberately wanted to hurt Weiss. She couldn't stop herself this time from moving forward. She held up a hand, waiting for Weiss to withdraw.

When she didn't, Yang gently touched her fingertips to the bottom of the scar. It was a tiny, rough spot on an otherwise smooth face. How had she not noticed the makeup before?!

Weiss closed her eyes under Yang's probing but tender touch. Her heart stammered in her chest as her soulmate carefully traced the scar with a forefinger, then cupped her cheek briefly before moving back again. Her eyes opened, and she continued.

"Whoa, hold on! Don't kill her!" another Faunus had shouted when the knife came out.

"I'm not gonna kill her! Just gonna make it a little harder for Daddy to find her a husband, that's all."

Weiss screamed as the knife cut into her skin. It moved downward, slowly, toward her eye. She tried to move her face away, tried to struggle, but the other Faunus was holding her firmly. Her eye would be next. She was going to lose her eye!

Then, a hysterical Anmut divebombed the man just as he was reaching Weiss's eyelid. He had turned from a robin into a crow, and pecked angrily at the man's head, breaking the taboo in a desperate attempt to save his human. The knife slid down in one swift, sudden stroke, cutting Weiss's cheek before dropping to the ground as the Faunus tried fending off Anmut.

Then, it happened. Anmut swooped too low. The Faunus jumped. Hands closed on something within Weiss that no hands had a right to touch.

She went limp in her captor's hands, suddenly oblivious to the pain on her face, to the blood trickling down her cheek. All that mattered was that the other Faunus had Anmut in his hands, squeezing him tightly. Squeezing her.

As the hands pressed into Anmut, Weiss felt them pressing into every part of her. She was being compressed into something small, something that couldn't survive in the face of all this hatred, all this anger. Dirty hands groped at her most private depths, sullying them, filling her with filth.

Anmut screamed, transforming rapidly in a frantic attempt to get away from the hateful hands. Crow, rat, hawk, ermine, wolf. Wolf!

In a last, desperate effort, Anmut took the largest form he had ever taken. He was a wolf, as black as coal and with eyes like fire. His weight bore the Faunus to the ground, and he sank his teeth into the man's shoulder.

Weiss tasted blood in her mouth and started to vomit. The Faunus holding her reeled with disgust, finally dropping her on the ground. She was barely able to stand, but she knew she had to get away. She stumbled toward the road away from the District, a manic, wolf-formed Anmut at her heels.

As she ran, she saw other Faunus, so many other Faunus. They just…stared at her, this bloody-faced, vomit-covered child who had just been violated in the worst possible way, and they did _nothing_.

As Weiss finished telling her story, Yang realized that there were tears streaming down her face. Her fists were clenched so tightly, her fingernails were digging into her palms, drawing blood. "Weiss, I-" She choked on her own breath, shaking her head, unable to find any words.

Weiss realized that she was trembling and held on tighter to Anmut. "I returned to my father after that. He yelled at me, of course, and beat me severely. I had shamed the Schnees. I had let myself be molested by a bunch of sub-humans. And now, I'd have to wear makeup to hide my ugliness until he found a husband for me. I was a disgrace and have been so in his eyes ever since."

"That…That…" Yang let out a sob. "That's horrible, Weiss!" She stared at her soulmate in disbelief. "After that… He seriously beat you after that?! That's just- And, you-" She immediately hated herself for every moment she had thought badly of Weiss for not accepting Blake and the others right away, for every time she had rolled her eyes when Weiss would edge away from the Faunus District whenever entering and exiting the Xiao Long house.

"I'm so sorry, Weiss," she finally managed. "I'm sorry that happened to you. I'm sorry if I ever made you feel pressured to make the bond. I'm sorry for what I said when you touched Sun's tail that one time. I…I'm… Goddammit, what kind of world _is_ this?!"

Anmut moved away from Weiss and draped a wing over Yong Shi's head. The lion was whimpering, tears wetting his sand-colored cheeks.

Yang's breath hitched when Weiss's dæmon hurried to comfort hers. "Don't do that," she mumbled. "I should be taking care of you." She scooted close to Weiss again, pulling her into a light embrace.

Weiss could feel the walls surrounding her soul crashing down. Yang's acceptance, her anger on her behalf… It was just too much to believe.

Yang held Weiss as the heiress sobbed into her shoulder. She rubbed her back tenderly, nuzzling her face into white hair. "Shh. It's okay. You're safe."

Yong Shi nuzzled Anmut, then stood up resolutely and padded over to the two women. He rumbled quietly, urging Weiss to look at him.

Weiss gasped softly at the sudden proximity of the lion dæmon. This close, she could count the individual hairs of his mane, could see how his amber eyes also held hints of brown and flecks of shining gold. She felt his hot breath on her cheek, on her exposed scar.

"Go on," Yang urged. "It's okay. You can touch him, no strings attached."

Weiss lifted a shaking hand, stopping less than an inch from Yong Shi's brow. The lion closed his eyes and pressed his head into her palm.

Yang let out a gasp as a soothing, cool sensation brushed against her own brow while also appearing somewhere much deeper.

Weiss quickly withdrew her hand. "Are you-?"

"Do that again," Yang breathed, her voice taking on an almost pleading tone.

Weiss stared at Yang, her cheeks flushing at the expression on her soulmate's face, but obeyed. She touched Yong Shi's brow once again, letting out a breath at the feel of his rough, coarse fur. She stroked his brow gently, then began to comb her fingers through his tangled mane.

Yong Shi's eyes closed, and he let out a low purr.

At the same time, Weiss was suddenly aware of feelings, thoughts, and emotions that weren't hers, but were so similar to what she was feeling just then. In that moment, she saw Yang. She knew Yang. She saw the anger, the determination, the recklessness, and…and…

She wrapped her arms around Yong Shi's broad shoulders, hugging him close, burying her face in his mane. She smiled when a strong, heavy foreleg rested carefully over her back. Never in her life had she ever felt so safe.

Yang, meanwhile, could hardly hold herself in an upright sitting position. All she could feel was Weiss. Within her, outside of her, holding her while probing into her deepest thoughts. Yet, she wasn't afraid. She loved it. It was like a gentle, cool breeze was mingling with her usual fire, making it more manageable without actually putting it out. She felt Weiss's acceptance of everything about her. And, she also felt…

 _Love._ The word was thought by both Anmut and Yong Shi. It nestled inside their humans, slowly spreading throughout their bodies like blood.

Anmut took a stumbling step toward Yang. He was so giddy with the pleasure his human was feeling, he could barely walk straight. Still, he knew where he wanted to be.

Yang saw the swan approaching. This time, she was the one to shy away. Despite the sheer bliss she felt in that moment, she had enough presence of mind to shake her head.

"No," she said firmly. "Not now. Not while…" She let out a gasp when Weiss started to play with Yong Shi's mane, felt a ghost of the sensation in her own hair. "I want you to be totally ready if you bond to me," she managed. "Later, if you feel the same, then we can…" She moaned as Weiss continued to cling to her purring dæmon. It was starting to be too much for her.

Weiss could feel Yang, every part of her, so she immediately felt that her soulmate was starting to get overwhelmed and was quick to let go of Yong Shi. Even as she moved away, however, she felt that bond between them. When she went back to the Manor, Yang would be there to an extent. Weiss would feel that presence within her, no matter where she went.

"Yang," she breathed, staring over at her soulmate, who was gasping for breath, her face bright red. Weiss suspected her own face was in a similar condition.

Yang looked up, her heart melting at the way Weiss said her name, as if it was a prayer rather than a simple word. "Weiss," she gasped.

Neither one was sure who closed the distance between them. All they knew was that, an instant later, they were embracing as if the world itself was about to end.

Weiss buried her face in Yang's shoulder as her soulmate's strong arms nearly squeezed the air out of her. She didn't mind. She just wanted to be as close to Yang as possible.

Yang's lips found Weiss's face, and she touched a kiss to the scar while holding her tightly, silently reassuring her that she was okay, that nothing would hurt her as long as Yang was around.

Weiss's breath hitched at the warm touch to her hated scar. After years of having to keep it a secret, even from Willow, Whitley, and Klein, after being reminded time and time again that she was ugly whenever it was visible, that she was worthless because she had let herself get it, she was now feeling her soulmate's lips on it, telling her that she was loved with or without it.

Gently, Weiss touched Yang's cheek, guiding those burning lips onto hers. The heat of Yang's kiss filled her, and she moaned softly, begging to be completely consumed by that fire.

Yang kissed Weiss passionately, almost with an edge of desperation, needing to feel those cool, soft lips against hers, needing to hold that smaller form pressed ever closer so she could protect her from anything that would even think of hurting her. Weiss tangled her fingers in Yang's hair, and she was convinced that she had just died and gone to heaven.

Nearby, Anmut and Yong Shi were in a loving embrace of their own. Yong Shi had drawn the swan close with a large paw and was nuzzling his back, licking the smooth feathers with a rough tongue. Anmut arched his neck, draping his head over the lion's back and rubbing his beak against the choppy fur, feeling the other dæmon's purr resonating throughout his whole body.

The soulmates remained tangled together, pouring out the love, the need they had for each other, their movements becoming slower over time, their kisses becoming lighter, until they were lying in each other's arms, exhausted.

Weiss sighed happily, nestling close to Yang. She had never kissed anyone before, and she doubted that a first kiss was normally this earth-shattering. "Yang," she whispered, suddenly afraid of ruining the moment by speaking too loudly. "Are you okay?"

Yang let out a long breath, her smile currently outshining any of the star above them. "Yeah. I'm just…wow." She nuzzled Weiss's hair. "What about you? I know that was a lot to deal with in…what? An hour?"

"I'm fine," Weiss assured her. "I'm glad you know. Revisiting it was awful, but I think I'm better now that I told you."

"That's good." Yang rubbed her back soothingly. "And, don't worry about the bond. Like I said, if I never get to touch Anmut, that's fine. This…this is more than enough for me."

Weiss brushed her lips against Yang's neck. "I love you," she murmured.

Yang closed her eyes, allowing herself to be filled with Weiss's scent and with the feeling of Anmut cuddling with Yong Shi only a foot or so away. "I love you too."

….

Whitley knew he had seen Weiss vanish into the wine cellar. That alone was odd enough for him to investigate the matter further. Why on earth would Weiss be going down there?

Was she fetching wine for Willow? If so, she should really get Klein or one of the other servants to do that. Father certainly wouldn't like seeing his daughter fetching anything.

Was she drinking? That thought sent a pang of genuine fear through Whitley. He didn't know if he would be able to handle a drunken Weiss. He knew his mother as a drunk. He had never known her as anything else.

If Weiss became the exact same way, Whitley had the distinct feeling that something in his world would shatter.

When Weiss didn't emerge from the cellar minutes later, Whitley crept down to investigate, only for Klein to hurry down the hall and shepherd him away, reminding him that it was his job to get the wine, and why wasn't Whitley at his fencing lesson?

Whitley obeyed, but the first thing he did after fencing was check Weiss's room. He had Demetria slip under the door as a tiny ant and survey the area. She returned, telling him that Weiss was gone.

So, he hid in the shadows and waited. Just as it was reaching midnight and he was considering giving up and going to bed, he heard footsteps.

At his side, Demetria turned into a white wolf, refusing to be intimidated by Anmut the way she usually was.

When Weiss emerged, followed closely by Klein, Whitley moved to intercept them. He folded his arms, regarding both of them with a steady glare.

"Well, now," he began. "What do we have-?"

He stopped suddenly, his attention drawn by something shocking, something he wasn't sure was even real. It was a line, an ugly fracture like that on a broken tile, decorating his sister's petrified face.

"My God, Weiss! How long have you had that?!"

 **I feel like you guys need a drink after that chapter. I put you on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, didn't I? Well, you can expect more. We aren't even halfway done, my lovelies!**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	9. The Ermine's Despair

**Hello again, my lovelies! We're back with more drama, heartache, and family feuds! Isn't that just what you were hoping for?**

 **Trigger Warning: Physical/dæmon abuse and attempted suicide.**

 **Enjoy!**

Weiss was utterly petrified. Every bit of the glorious high she had carried with her from her time with Yang faded almost immediately. The only trace left was the soulmate bond, which assured her with every pulse of her heart that Yang was alive and well.

Alive, well, and likely to never see her soulmate again depending on what happened next.

"Whitley, what on earth are you doing here?" Weiss asked, barely managing her usual haughty tone and putting her hands on her hips for good measure. Next to her, Anmut let out a hiss.

Whitley quickly re-applied the smirk to his face, as did Demetria in her wolf form, though her ears were flattened with the lingering shock due to the fact that Weiss had a scar on her face! _How did we never know about that?!_

Out loud, he said: "Don't change the subject, sister. You've been sneaking out. Why? Is that Arc boy really so dashing that you'd risk Father's wrath?" His expression darkened. "You'd better be careful. I don't think Father wants grandchildren just yet."

"If we tell him now," Demetria said aloud. "We won't have to worry about that."

"Very true, dear," Whitley acknowledged. "The sooner, the better. We can't have people thinking we're an accessory to this crime, can we?" He glanced at Klein, wondering if he could somehow omit the kindly butler from his story when he went to Father.

"Don't you dare!" Weiss snapped, taking a step forward.

"Weiss…" Klein cautioned. Sonja was glancing back and forth, whimpering nervously.

"If you ruin this for me," Weiss continued, her eyes shining with rage. "I swear that I will make your life a living hell!" She was shocked, even as those words came out of her mouth. When had she become so vicious?

She knew when, of course. It was when she finally got her first taste of true happiness, something she would kill to defend.

"This Manor is a prison, and that's all it will ever be to me. If you tell Father, and he forces me into a cage for the rest of my life, I will do everything in my power to make this place a prison for him and for you. I will do whatever I can to destroy this family's reputation, because I wouldn't have anything to lose at that point. What will you do then, little brother?"

Whitley, stunned by the force of his sister's anger, took a step back. Demetria shrank down into the form of a cat, her tail flicking nervously.

He tried to recover. "Wh-What about that scar? Where did you get that? You never answered me." He hated the way his voice trembled, and the fact that, by blatantly changing the subject, he was essentially submitting to his sister's threats.

Weiss folded her arms, seeing in her brother's stance that she had him scared, at least a little. She had to keep appearing confident, and maybe she would at least buy herself some time. "That's none of your concern. Do you have anything else to say?"

Whitley took a deep breath as Demetria turned into a wolf again. "Watch yourself, sister. No one can create a worse hell than Father, and he will do just that for you if you're not careful." His eyes narrowed. "The fact of the matter is that I fear him more than I will ever fear you." With that, he turned on his heel and walked down the hall, his footsteps clicking on the floor.

Weiss started to tremble as her brother's steps faded. "Oh, Klein," she breathed. "He's going to tell Father. I know he will. What can I do?"

Klein touched Weiss's arm. "Go back to your room and try to get some sleep. I'll talk to Master Whitley."

Weiss nodded shakily and started toward her room. Already, she was plotting exactly how she would sneak out again if her father found out. _There has to be a way for me to disguise my appearance. Maybe Ilia will have an idea. I can hide on the border of the Faunus District. Father would never look for me there. Then, I can go north with Jaune and Pyrrha, send for Yang…_

Her frantic plans only made her even more nervous. What if there was nothing to be done? What if she woke up in the morning to find locks on her door?

"I've heard stories," she murmured to Anmut. "There's some sort of procedure becoming popular right now, one for women who act 'irrationally.' What was it called?"

"Lobotomy," Anmut answered, shivering.

"Yes, that's it." Weiss swallowed loudly. "Let's not panic. Let's just go to bed, and…and hope for the best."

Anmut pressed his head to her leg as she opened her door. "I have faith in Klein."

Weiss managed a smile. "He's the only person in this entire Manor I have faith in."

Anmut nodded. "We'll be okay. If not, you have the flower to summon Pyrrha."

Weiss felt the golden flower in her cloak pocket, the one Pyrrha had given her, the one that somehow hadn't wilted or dried at all and still looked like it had been freshly-picked. Touching the soft petals soothed her enough to allow her to undress and go to sleep.

…..

Klein tapped lightly on Whitley's door.

"Who is it?" the boy's voice called.

"It's me, Master Whitley. May I come in?"

There was a pause. Then, "If you like."

Klein opened the door and walked into the room. Whitley was sitting at his desk, Demetria perched on one of his books in the form of a white mouse. He didn't look up.

"What is your business?"

"I notice that you haven't gone to your father." Klein closed the door as Sonja trotted over to the desk to look up at Demetria.

Whitley shrugged. "He's asleep, and hates being woken up. It can wait until morning." He sat up straighter, but still didn't turn his head. "Why are you helping Weiss disobey Father? Do you want to get in trouble?"

Klein folded his arms. "Should I stop aiding your sister? If so, perhaps our baking lessons should also come to an end."

"That's different!" Whitley snapped as he stood up. "Baking is a temporary escape for me, something I enjoy that Father wouldn't like. Weiss is sneaking away from the Manor! She's doing who knows what and putting everyone in danger, especially herself!"

"You certainly seem to know all about it." Klein tilted his head. "Tell me, what else is she doing? What is she thinking?"

"I…" Whitley faltered. "I don't know," he admitted. "I can't read her. I never could. What could be so important that she would take such a risk? And what about that scar?! Where did she get that?!"

"Even I don't know that," Klein sighed. "I never even saw it before today. As for reading Weiss, it's not so difficult. Perhaps, you haven't made enough of an effort."

Whitley let out a short laugh. "Why should I? She doesn't even like me!"

"I've noticed." Klein shook his head. "It baffles me that two young people in the situation you are in wouldn't realize that banding together is the only way to survive. Fighting against each other and snitching to suit your own needs will only drive you apart and isolate you, making it easier and easier for certain other people in your life to keep abusing you."

"Father will never stop, no matter what we do!" Whitley growled. "You have to know that! The only solution is to weather the storm."

"That seems like a pretty poor way to live." Klein felt a bitter taste of hypocrisy in his mouth as he said those words. He, of course, had been weathering the storm ever since he met Willow, ever since he realized that he would be bound to the Manor for as long as he lived, not only for Willow's sake, but for Weiss and Whitley's as well. There were times when he felt his sanity slipping, when he felt yet another night of abuse through his soulbond. During those times, he thought very seriously about slipping just a little something extra into Jacques Schnee's wine.

He never did, of course. He knew what would follow. There would be an investigation and Whitley, as heir to the company and the one who would benefit most from Jacques's death, would be the prime suspect. Klein wouldn't take that risk. All he could do was focus on the here and now, and try to make life as tolerable as possible for the people he cared about.

He took a step closer to Whitley, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Don't do this to your sister, Whitley. She has found something that can bring her true happiness, something she hasn't had until now. Don't take that away from her. If not for her, keep quiet for my sake."

Whitley's fists clenched. It wasn't fair! He shouldn't be putting himself in danger because of his sister's stupidity. He shouldn't risk Father's wrath to protect Klein. He got this far in his life by being smart, by staying on Father's good side, by knowing which way the wind was blowing and letting himself be carried along.

"Fine," he found himself hissing through gritted teeth. "But don't expect me to cover for her if she makes a mistake. If anyone asks, I know nothing!"

"Of course, Master Whitley," Klein said, breathing a sigh of relief. _He truly does know nothing. Poor boy…_ "Thank you."

…..

Yang didn't realize she had zoned out again during breakfast until Ruby started poking her face. "Hey!" she laughed, batting her sister's hand away.

Ruby giggled. "You're smiling!"

Yang's cheeks flushed. "What, is smiling weird, or something?"

Ruby rested her face in her hands, a knowing smirk on her face. "You were out with Weiss last night, and now you're smiling and spacing out."

"So?" Yang asked, taking a bite of porridge and looking away.

"Ugh! Don't even try it!" Ruby started poking Yang again. "You kissed, didn't you?"

When Yang remained tight-lipped, Baynar started bouncing on top of Yong Shi, who rumbled and batted at the dingo with a gentle paw.

"Come ooon," Ruby begged, hugging Yang's arm. "Tell meee!"

"Ruby, stop bugging your sister," Taiyang said as he sat down.

Ruby pouted. "I'm not bugging her. Right, Yang?"

When Yang said nothing, Ruby stuck her tongue out. "Meanie!"

Baynar moved back to sit at Ruby's feet. "They totally did," he murmured.

"Yong Shi!" Yang whined.

"I didn't say anything!" the lion protested.

"Ha! We got you! You did kiss!" Ruby hugged Yang's arm even tighter. "I'm so happy for you!"

Yang couldn't help but smile at her sister's enthusiasm. "It feels weird," she admitted. "I was so worried that this soulmate thing would force me to fall in love, but…"

"It's not forced," Taiyang assured her. "Just because it's quick doesn't mean it's not real. I knew I loved Summer within the first few days after we met." His expression briefly became wistful, prompting his dæmon to nuzzle his hand.

"Jaune and Pyrrha are in love, and they knew after just a few weeks," Ruby added. "Maybe, with soulmates, you're meant to know if you're going to be in love soon after you meet each other. It sounds like something where, after a little while, you know if you're meant to be friends or something else."

Taiyang nodded. "I think you're right. I don't know many soulmate pairs, but I know that establishing the bond creates what is essentially an open path between your mind and the other person's mind. Since you know all you need to know about them once that bond happens, everything else develops quickly.

Something occurred to him then. "Does that mean you bonded?"

"Sort of." Yang glanced downward, not wanting to bring up the full events of that night, especially what Weiss had told her. The joy from that first kiss didn't drown out the fact that Yang now knew a very ugly and terrible secret, one that Weiss obviously didn't want others to know. She'd take it to the grave if she had to.

Thankfully, Taiyang and Ruby didn't pry. Instead, they updated Yang on Ilia's condition, as Ruby had visited her while Yang was with Weiss.

"She's mostly angry, and I don't blame her." Ruby folded her arms. "Those jerks destroyed perfectly good books!"

"I hope Blake and Sun find them, drag them here, and let me finish up whatever parts they don't pulverize," Yang growled. Beside her, Yong Shi rumbled his agreement.

There was a knock on the door, and Ruby zipped over to open it. She let out an exclamation of joy at what she saw. "Hermes!"

Sure enough, Jaune was standing in the doorway with his own dæmon on one shoulder, his soulmate's on the other. Hermes flapped his wings happily, bobbing his head when he saw his friends. The taboo prevented him from going any closer to Ruby, but he gladly swooped to the floor to allow Baynar, Yong Shi, and Taiyang's doe dæmon, whose name he had never learned, greeted him.

"Thora," the doe murmured. "My name is Thora."

Jaune, meanwhile, picked up Ruby in an excited hug. "Pyrrha's coming back!" he crowed joyfully. "She'll be in the forest by next week! She's been talking with the Gyptians, and I can go north in the fall!"

"Jaune, that's great!" Ruby eagerly hugged her friend back. "I'm so happy for you!"

"She's friends with a soulmate pair who runs an inn," Jaune explained as he put Ruby down. "They'll give me a place to stay in exchange for me working there. It's really close to where the Goodwitch Clan lives."

"Got room for any more in that boat," Yang asked in a half-joking manner.

"Yes, actually," Jaune said, his voice totally serious. "It might cost a bit of money, though. Pyrrha was able to make a deal for me, but Gyptians don't like acting as a ferry service for just anyone. They do understand the wish to go north and be free, though, and they make certain exceptions for people in bad situations. They also understand soulmates and the importance of them staying together. If you pay your way, and can work, it may be possible to negotiate something."

Yang was silent.

Taiyang gave her a knowing smile. "What are you thinking, sweetie?"

"Weiss hates being at the Manor. It's like a prison for her. If we went north…"

"If you went north, you'd have to work three times as hard as you already do, and start from scratch," Taiyang finished. "You'll have to think carefully about this."

Ruby hugged her sister tightly. "You running away with Weiss would be super romantic, but you'd better take me with you!"

Yang ruffled Ruby's hair. "C'mon, Ruby. I'd never leave you behind."

Hermes talked quietly with Yong Shi. "I see you established the bond. How does it feel?"

"Not too different," Yong Shi admitted. "We only bonded one way, so Weiss is likely feeling most of it right now."

Hermes cocked his head but didn't ask why the bond was only one-sided. "I see. Soul bonds can be complicated. As long as you are both happy, however, that's what is important."

"We are," Yong Shi said empathetically. "We really are."

"I'm glad." Hermes glanced up at Jaune, his yellow eyes shining with devotion. "Everyone should experience this, I feel. The world would be a much kinder place."

….

Willow tried to be sober. That was a mistake.

Without the alcohol to dull her senses, without the inoffensive slur to take any bite from her words, without that haze of uncaring to shield her, she was doomed. Worse still was the craving, the physical need to pour that burning liquid down her throat. She didn't even know what it tasted like. She had blocked it out in the way one blocks out tastes that are constant and common, like air.

She was shaking. She was clear-headed. She was of her own mind. She was angry.

So, when Jacques and the gray wolf came to her, she turned away. She said no.

The wolf grasped Varian in his jaws. A smooth hand roughly squeezed Willow's throat.

Willow struggled. That was also a mistake.

Varian thrashed around, eventually biting the side of the gray wolf's neck. That was the final mistake.

A half hour later, Jacques walked toward the door of his wife's room. Behind him was a trembling mass of blankets. Ultimately, he had decided that he was no longer in the mood. He just taught her what was, in his mind, a quick and fair lesson.

He rubbed his knuckles. He'd have to put lotion on them to make them smooth again. At his side, the wolf licked ermine blood from her teeth.

"Make sure you cover that by tomorrow," he said offhandedly as he turned the doorknob. He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes steely and cold. "I like you better when you drink."

The door closed. Underneath the cold blankets, Willow nursed a black eye and cuddled her bleeding dæmon. Bite wounds covered the ermine, as well as Willow's arms. She pressed her hands into Varian's wounds, heedless of her own.

She felt pressure on her own throat as she pressed, and paused. She stared at Varian, and he stared back.

How easy would it be to snap his neck? How easy would it be to just end it for the both of them?

 _What good am I?_ Willow wondered. _I'm nothing but a burden to my children, and to Klein. My life will never be anything else…_ She tightened her grip, feeling herself starting to get dizzy. _Just squeeze,_ she thought.

Varian closed his eyes, feeling the press of his beloved Willow's palms. If that was the last thing he ever felt, that was fine.

In that moment, the door burst open. Klein ran into the room as Sonja leaped onto the bed, baring her fangs at Willow, who was stunned enough to drop Varian, who Klein immediately picked up. He sobbed into the white fur as he hugged his soulmate's battered dæmon to his cheek.

 _Too close!_ He thought desperately. _One minute later, and…and…_

Sonja was licking Willow's cheeks as the tears ran freely. "I'm here!" she kept repeating. "I'm here!"

Klein touched his lips to Varian, his shoulders shaking. "Don't ever do that again," he begged. "Please. I will find a way to free you. I will get you away from him. I promise. I'll do whatever is in my power. Just promise me you won't give up! Please!" He didn't know what he would do, but he couldn't let this continue. He couldn't let Willow bring a pointless end to her hopeless life. He had to figure something out. Anything!

Willow hugged Sonja to her chest, ugly tears staining her face. Klein deserved so much better. Why did he care so much? Why couldn't he just let her go, and go on to live a better life without her?

But, if this was what he wanted, she would try. "I promise," she sobbed. "I promise. I…I need…"

Klein nodded, already understanding. "I'll get you the wine, Willow. I'll get you whatever you need. Just…Just stay alive."

She wasn't alive, not really, but she could pretend to be. For Klein's sake, she would pretend for just a little longer.

 **The more I write Willow, the more I want her to be an actual character in the canon show! Seriously, they could probably write a whole show just about the Schnee family. I'd watch the hell out of that! Give ALL of my snowbabies justice and screentime, dammit!**

 **Big news, everyone: COMMISSIONS ARE OPEN! *fanfare music* There are three open slots currently. The rules are on my profile. Message me if you're interested.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	10. The Owl's Letter

**Hello again, my lovelies. I'm coming at you on Friday the 13** **th** **, which also happens to be my birthday! I'm 24, almost a quarter of a century… Wow, I feel old.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

"I want to meet your brother."

Weiss gaped at Yang, wondering if she had somehow heard her soulmate incorrectly. She had just finished telling Yang about her recent encounter with Whitley, his blatant threat to tattle on her, and the fact that only Klein was keeping her safe, if temporarily. She had expected Yang to feel just as angry as she was. But, no. Yong Shi's expression was calm, and a feeling of amicable curiosity was flowing into Weiss through the bond.

"That…wasn't the reaction I expected," she said slowly.

"Why not? He obviously has some good in him if Klein was able to convince him not to tell," Yang reasoned. "And he grew up with your dad too, so he's probably suffering just as much. How many friends does he have?"

"I…I'm not sure," Weiss admitted. She and Whitley didn't exactly talk about…anything.

"Look, Weiss," Yang said, leaning close. "I'm saying this as one older sister to another: The little sibs need us, even if they don't want to admit it. After Summer died, Dad shut down for a while, so I had to step up and take care of Ruby. It's sort of like that for you: Your mom's not all there, and your dad's an abusive jerk. Whitley needs people to look up to, and so do you."

Through the bond, Weiss caught an unspoken thought, a brief, angry thought toward Winter of all people.

"Winter needed to leave!" Weiss defended. "She was about to be married. She wouldn't have been at the Manor anyway." She suppressed a shiver as she remembered that a similar fate was looming on her horizon.

Yang blinked, then glanced to the side sheepishly. "Still getting used to this bond."

Weiss smiled. "Me too." She glanced at Anmut, who was staring fixedly at Yang. "Um, would you…?"

Yang shook her head, smiling at Anmut. "Nah. I kinda want it to be more private when we finish bonding, you know." They were currently sitting in front of Yang's house. "I'd like to arrange something a bit more romantic. Flowers. Candles. No one else around." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Weiss just barely suppressed a giggle, instead giving Yang a teasing smirk. "Is this you trying to seduce me?"

Yang's grin remained steadfast as she leaned closer. "That depends. Is it working?"

Weiss shoved Yang with a huff. "Oh, go dunk your head in a bucket of water."

"I'll take that as a maybe," Yang laughed.

Rolling her eyes, Weiss still scooted closer to Yang, allowing their hands to brush. More than anything, she wished that the two of them could simply walk down the street, hand in hand, the way other couples could. But, the fact remained that they were two women. If the wrong people noticed them, everything could come crashing down. Yang would likely get beaten and arrested by the Church's soldiers. Weiss would be publicly shamed and likely disowned by her father. After that, it was anyone's guess what would happen. Nothing that came to mind was particularly pleasant to think about.

"Going back to your sister," Yang continued. "Are you seriously thinking about going north?"

"I am," Weiss replied immediately. "Father has started looking for potential husbands for me." She shivered once more as the thought of some sneering pretender touching Anmut and having his way with her filled her thoughts. "I've told you about my mother, about how she dulls herself to the world in order to hide from a prison she can't escape. That's my future if I stay."

"I thought so," Yang sighed. "Well, the Gyptians will probably want money. Even if they don't, we'll need something to buy food with once we're off the ships. Do you think you could break into your dad's safe? Or maybe snatch some silverware? Sun knows people who would buy it, no questions."

"Tempting, but if I do that, Father will likely start accusing the servants of theft. I can't do that to them."

"Good point." Yang leaned back against the wall of the house. "Let's ask Hermes what we'll need. I can handle a few more fights if it'll scrape together enough coin to get you out of here."

"Absolutely not!" Weiss insisted. "You're already struggling to support your family."

"Hey, I'm gonna save up enough for the rest of us to go too!" Yang retorted.

"How much do you think passage for four people will cost?" Weiss asked. "And what about Blake, Ilia, and Sun? They need you."

Yang's determined expression faltered for a moment before she shook her head. "They've got each other. You need me more. Besides, we're soulmates. Aren't we supposed to stick together?"

"I'd like nothing more, but I don't think that's possible." Weiss stared at the ground, feeling a familiar helpless despair seeping into her. "I wish Winter were here. If I knew how she got passage with the Gyptians…"

"She paid her way by working."

Weiss and Yang looked up to see Hermes peering down at them from the rooftop. The hawk swooped down, landing next to Anmut and Yong Shi.

"So, Pyrrha has spoken to Winter?" Weiss asked, her eyes lighting up eagerly.

"Yes. She has letters for you as well," Hermes replied. "And she guessed that you'd want information, so she spoke to Winter about that subject specifically."

"So, I can pay my way by working." Weiss frowned. "But I have no experience."

"Neither did Winter," Hermes pointed out. "It did help that she had previously helped a Gyptian family evade a charge of forgery by an angry clergyman. Gyptians take favors very seriously. You may not have a favor with them, but Pyrrha is well-known to them. I'm sure we can get them to take you when they come for Jaune."

"I never knew Winter did that," Weiss murmured. Yet again, she was reminded of how little she knew her sister.

"We were only ten," Anmut reminded her. "There's only so much we could learn."

"Well, that works," Yang said. "Weiss gets on with her favor, and I'll focus on paying for me, Ruby, and Dad."

"That's still a lot of money, Yang," Weiss noted.

"There's more than one way to go north, you know."

Everyone turned to see Taiyang standing in the doorway. Thora walked over to the other dæmons and nudged Yong Shi's shoulder.

"What do you mean, Dad?"

Taiyang sat down on Yang's other side. "I mean that you should focus on paying your own way. Ruby and I can figure something else out, if we decide to go north. I'm a hunter, so I can make a living anywhere there's game. Since I'm not like Weiss, and don't need to sneak away, I can go along the trading routes. Your uncle Qrow's whole job is protecting caravans, so I can easily contact him the next time he's in town. Not to mention, I can invite Blake, Sun, and Ilia along."

"Would Ruby be able to handle the journey?" Weiss asked.

Taiyang chuckled fondly. "There isn't much Ruby can't handle. This would actually be easier for us, since you ladies will be able to set things up for us in advance. Leave us with no work to do!"

Yang rolled her eyes. "Only you can make a super-long journey on foot seem lazy."

"It's a talent," Taiyang said with a grin. "Just thought I'd give you one less thing to worry about. Come on, Thora."

The doe silently followed her human back into the house.

There was a moment's silence. "How often do you think he listens to our conversations?" Weiss wondered.

"I'd rather not think about it," Yang said before turning to Weiss with a grin. "Still, it's good to know this going north thing is actually doable."

Weiss gave Yang a long look. Through the one-sided bond, she could feel that Yang was serious, that there was a deep sense of excitement and happiness filling every thought. Still, she had to ask: "Are you sure you want to do something so drastic?"

"Drastic?" Yang tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Moving north, relocating your family… I don't want to cause you any trouble."

Yang wrapped an arm around Weiss's shoulders, pulling her close. "Hey. This is the most excited I've been about anything in a long time! Honestly, we've just been staying here for so long because it worked. The house was cheap, we could get by financially, and Blake and the others were here."

She looked toward the Faunus District with a sigh. "Maybe we just got used to living this way. But now, we have a witch for a friend. Jaune and I both have our soulmates in our lives. It feels like, maybe, we can do more than survive. I _want_ to do more than just survive on a day by day basis. Going north would give me that chance."

She glanced at Weiss, her lavender eyes soft and gentle. "Besides, if you think I'm letting you go on a big adventure without me, you're crazy."

Weiss glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then leaned close to quickly peck Yang's lips. "Thank you," she whispered.

Yang's breath hitched, and she had to push down the urge to pull Weiss back in for a longer deeper kiss. _We're in a public place, the Church is a thing, and my dad might hear us and give me that stupid grin later._ Instead, she stood up, offering her hand. "I think it's about time I started you on those fighting lessons. Want to head to the woods?"

Weiss gladly took Yang's hand, silently reminding herself that she needed to pay attention to what Yang taught her, and not get distracted.

Anmut barely muffled a honk. _Face it. You're already distracted._

Weiss's face flushed, but it was thankfully hidden by the darkness as they walked down the road. _Oh, hush!_

…

The following night, Weiss was unfortunately unable to visit Yang. She had spent most of that morning using makeup to hide the bruises from a surprisingly-exhausting training session. Even though she suspected that her soulmate had gone easy on her, everything seemed to hurt. Getting through the day without obviously wincing had been difficult, almost as much as avoiding her father's eye and wondering what on earth Whitley was thinking at any given time.

He might have given Klein a temporary promise, but Whitley was ultimately selfish in nature. He would almost definitely sell Weiss out at the first opportunity.

When she expressed this worry to Klein, however, she was surprised with his response.

"Just how well do you think you know your brother?"

Weiss frowned. "How well should I know him? He never cared much for me."

"Younger siblings tend to expect care first from their older siblings," Klein murmured. He bent down to scratch Sonja's ears. "There is more to him than you think. I don't think he's as keen to see you get in trouble as he acts."

"How can you be sure, though?" Weiss wondered.

Klein chuckled. "My little snowflake, do you think you're the only person in this household I care for?"

This caused Weiss to stop short. Honestly, she had only ever seen Whitley and Klein interact when the former was barking orders. Then again, that was how an heir was expected to act. Was it possible that Klein and Whitley had a secret father/son bond, one that made up for the lack of affection from Jacques?

She tried to imagine her brother showing tenderness toward the kindly butler, but could only picture a smirk or a sneer.

"Are you sure we're talking about the same Whitley?"

Klein breathed a long sigh. "No, my dear. Clearly, we are not." Without another word, he walked off, leaving Weiss to her thoughts.

When she returned to her room, she was delighted to see a familiar red hawk waiting at her window. "Hermes!" she greeted, throwing the window wide open and watching the dæmon perch on her bed post. "How are you? I've hardly seen you since you came back. It was good to see you yesterday."

"I've mostly been spending time with Jaune," Hermes explained. "But I don't need to as much, now that Pyrrha's here."

"Really?" Weiss gasped. "Oh, I can't wait to see her!"

"She looks forward to seeing you." Hermes lifted his leg and started fiddling with a piece of paper that was tied there. "She met your sister and brought several letters. I thought I'd deliver this one to tide you over until you can get the others."

Only the taboo kept Weiss from trying to help the hawk untie the letter. She watched, her heart pounding as the sharp beak worked at the string. When the paper finally fell to the bed, she snatched it up eagerly. "Thank you!"

Hermes bowed his head. "You're most welcome. I'll leave you to read it alone."

"Oh, would you like to stay and rest first?" Weiss asked, remembering her manners.

"No, thank you. I must return to Pyrrha. I'll see you the next time you can get out. Be careful!" the hawk cautioned.

"I will," Weiss promised, watching the hawk fly back out the window before hurriedly unrolling the paper.

Even after so many years, her sister's crisp, elegant handwriting was all too familiar to her. Weiss felt her throat tighten as she read this long-awaited letter.

 _Dear Weiss,_

 _First of all, I offer my deepest apologies for not trying harder to contact you. I knew that you would be limited in your ability to write back to me, so I felt that I could only hope that my letters were reaching you. There was more that I could have done, but didn't do, because I chose to believe that what I was doing was sufficient. When Pyrrha Nikos told me about what Father did, I was totally unsurprised, and completely ashamed. I have written several letters, which Pyrrha has promised to deliver personally, though I know they won't make up for the years of solitude you endured._

 _That being said, I hope you understand that I am apologizing only for not contacting you, not for leaving. No, leaving was the best decision I ever could have made. I regret that I couldn't take you with me, but as you met your soulmate, perhaps it was for the best._

 _As your older sister, I feel that there are some things I need to tell you, now that you're older and can understand the significance of what I'm writing._

 _One: You must be selfish if you want to have any hope in this world. You are in a society that encourages women to bow to those around them, that teaches you that you are wrong and evil if you try to live your own life. I'm telling you that those people are wrong! You have but one life, and you deserve to live it before you die._

 _Two: You must be brave. In a world where everything is fighting against you, that is the only thing you can be if you want to carve your own path. I know you're at the age where Father is going to start looking for a husband for you. If you want to be free of him, free of that life, you need the courage to fight and to run. I am sending messenger birds to my Gyptian friends, asking them to take you without question if you ever approach them asking to come north. I will personally take care of you and your soulmate, if she decides to come with you._

 _Three: Reach out to Whitley. He was only a baby when I left, so I have no idea what he's like. That is another regret of mine. I wasn't able to guide you or him through your childhoods and early adulthoods. Don't make the same mistake. Even if you leave, and I highly suggest you do, do not leave on bad terms with our brother. Remember that he has grown up in the same household that oppressed us both. Though his problems aren't the same as those we faced, they are still his. Father is no saint, after all._

 _Four: Be good to Mother. If anyone has suffered at the hands of our father, she has. Give her every kindness you can, even if you can't save her._

 _There will be other letters detailing my life here and explaining further how you may be able to join me. I look forward to corresponding with you, sister. I have truly missed you._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Winter_

Weiss read the letter three times before putting it down. Her eyes burned with tears, her chest swelled with hope, and her head spun with confusion.

Winter had always had a unique way of speaking that sounded cruel and curt to anyone who didn't know her. Weiss, however, had always been able to see the genuine love behind it, and that was just as true when reading this letter.

Even more importantly, Winter had managed to solidify what Weiss had been struggling with: the need to think of herself, and the need to be brave. Even with Yang at her side, even with the plans they were coming up with, Weiss was honestly terrified. Hearing confirmation from Winter that yes, she was doing the right thing, meant more than words could describe.

"She's going to contact the Gyptians, Anmut," she breathed. "Yang might not even have to pay anything!"

Anmut's feathers were ruffling with excitement. He peered at the letter with shrewd black eyes. "What are the odds that we'd receive three lectures concerning Whitley in only two days?"

Weiss's expression sobered, and she looked at the letter once again. Her shoulders slumped. "I don't know how to reach out to him, Anmut."

"Still, the others may be right about trying."

"I know they are, but…what if it's too late now?"

Anmut smoothed down his wing feathers. "I suppose the only way to know for sure is to try."

…

Klein knew something was wrong as soon as he reached out to Willow through their soulmate bond and felt the state of her mind. She had only recently started her first bottle of the evening but was already nearing a drunken state that Klein would normally expect much later.

He started toward Willow's room, only to stop short when he heard Jacque's voice around the corner.

"…too strong. No point…unconscious…"

Klein only caught a few words, and the gray wolf's response was even quieter. He quickly put on an unassuming face before walking around the corner. "Good evening, sir."

"Ah, Klein," Jacques said with a nod. "Would you be so kind as to see that my wife is comfortable. She had far too much wine tonight."

"Of course, sir," Klein said, bowing his head.

At his feet, Sonja averted her gaze respectfully as the gray wolf passed by. Once Jacques was a safe distance away, however, she growled softly.

Klein's lip curled. He hated hearing Jacques refer to Willow as "my wife."

It was strange: So many husbands could make the term "my wife" sound so endearing. Klein had heard those words spoken with deep love, affection, and even pride in the happiest of marriages. But Jacques somehow made the title sound ugly, as if he was talking about a possession rather than someone he should love and cherish every day.

"Come to think of it," Klein muttered. "I don't think he ever actually calls her by name."

He opened the door to see Willow sprawled out on her bed, one arm and leg hanging off the side. Varian was stretched out near the pillow, his eyes half shut.

Klein hurried over, picking up Willow and putting her fully on the bed, silently cursing Jacques for not even bothering to do that. Meanwhile, Sonja hopped onto the bed to nuzzle Varian.

To their surprise, the ermine dæmon was still somewhat awake. He looked at them with bleary eyes. "Not…right…" he muttered.

"What do you mean, Varian?" Klein picked up the ermine. Willow shifted in her sleep, the shadow of a smile coming to her face.

Varian turned his head toward the bottle. "First one…too bitter…too…" He went limp, falling asleep entirely.

Klein carefully put the dæmon on his preferred spot in the curve of Willow's neck, then turned his attention to the wine. To his surprise, it was still half-full. It had to be only the first bottle of the night, judging by the time. Bringing it to his nose, he sniffed once.

He nearly dropped the bottle as a bitter, sour, unfamiliar smell filled his nostrils. He checked the label. It was the same wine Willow always drank, only it wasn't.

He exchanged a glance with Sonja, who snarled quietly. Something very wrong was happening to their soulmate, something worse than usual, and they were going to get to the bottom of it.

 **Dun dun DUN! This story gets a lot of those, huh? I gotta say: I love how this fic is giving me a chance to explore the dynamics in the Schnee household, which canon sadly neglected. (Though, my fingers are crossed for Volume 6.)**

 **Commissions are still open. I have two open slots. PM me for details.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	11. The Child's Confusion

**Another week, another chapter! This one is largely Whitley-centric, so I'm pretty happy.**

 **Enjoy!**

 _This is insane,_ Weiss thought as she stood outside Whitley's door, hand poised to knock. _This is utterly insane._

"If you don't knock, I will," Anmut muttered.

"With what, exactly?" Weiss huffed, though she did finally tap on the door.

A moment later, Whitley answered. Demetria was on his shoulder in mouse form and quickly cowered back against his neck when she saw Weiss. Whitley's brows went up in surprise. "Well, this is unexpected. Do you need some of my makeup, sister? Having trouble hiding…" He gestured at the scar over Weiss's eye, which was exposed again

He and Demetria had talked for hours concerning what could have possibly injured Weiss in that way. _Whoever did it is probably dead,_ he thought. _Father would have bribed the soldiers until whoever was responsible was killed, and likely humiliated in public._

"No, I don't need makeup," Weiss sighed. She took a deep breath. "Whitley, would you like to accompany me tonight?"

Whitley's mouth would have dropped open if he wasn't so well-practiced in maintaining his composure. "Accompany you."

"Yes."

"Tonight."

"Yes."

"…While you sneak out to meet your lover."

Weiss just folded her arms, cocking her head as she waited for an answer, wearing a bored, confident look that completely masked the way her gut was roiling like worms in a thunderstorm.

Whitley shook his head, putting his hands on his hips. "Are you insane? What makes you think I'd want to put myself at risk, just to watch you and that Arc boy make eyes at each other?"

"I never actually said I was meeting Jaune," Weiss pointed out. "Or that my motivations are purely romantic."

Whitley blinked, sharing a glance with Demetria.

"She's right," the tiny dæmon muttered. "We just assumed that's what she was doing."

"Well, if that's not what's going on, what possible reason would you have to risk Father's anger like this?!" Whitley demanded.

"Come with me, and you'll know," Weiss urged. "Maybe it will put your mind at ease. If we get caught, you can always say you were trying to stop me."

Whitley hesitated, even as his curiosity threatened to overwhelm him. He felt Demetria shaking against his shoulder. "Why are you asking me to do this?" he asked.

Weiss honestly wasn't sure how to respond. She couldn't exactly say that Winter had told her to do this. It wouldn't make sense bringing up Yang until Whitley actually met her. Even mentioning what Klein had told her seemed stale. However, as she looked at her brother, she noticed something in his eyes that she hadn't noticed before, something hidden behind the frosty indifference he always tried to show. It wasn't happiness or hope, but it was something a little bit below that, something that was shining through in response to this strange request, this out-of-the-blue offer to share in a secret.

"I suppose," she found herself saying. "I want someone in this awful place to actually understand me, besides Klein."

In that moment, there was a shift in Whitley's demeanor, a shift that told Weiss that she had said the right thing. A flicker went across his eyes, and Demetria turned from a mouse to a dove, then back again. He disappeared into his room for a minute, returned with a black cloak, and stepped out the door.

They walked down the hall, where Whitley signaled Weiss to stop. He had Demetria scamper to the corner and check for people before they continued toward the doors to the cellar, where Klein was waiting for them.

"Be back quickly," Klein advised. "It will be harder to mask both of your absences."

"Thank you, Klein," Weiss said, hugging him briefly before leading Whitley downstairs, through the shelves, and toward the door.

"You seem well-practiced at this," Whitley muttered, his nose wrinkling at the scent of mildew. He tried not to let himself brush against the damp, mold-scented shelves.

"I am," Weiss said shortly, pushing the doors open. She double-checked to make sure she had the key in her pocket, then beckoned for Whitley to follow.

Whitley looked over his shoulder repeatedly as Weiss guided him into the shrubbery and started moving the fence posts.

"Stop that," she hissed. "It'll make you more conspicuous." Once they were on the other side of the fence, she turned around, pointing her finger at Whitley's chest. "Before we go any further, I hope you realize that you'd better keep quiet about that passage. Klein and several others will get in trouble if Father finds out."

"I won't say anything," Whitley replied. For Klein's sake alone, he'd take this to the grave.

"Good." Weiss led him on the familiar path, relieved that he was at least keeping up. When they were nearly at Yang's house, however, she heard his footsteps slow. She turned to see him staring at the path ahead, his eyes wide, Demetria in the form of a moth.

"Weiss, that's the Faunus District," he hissed. "It's too dangerous for us there."

Weiss's expression softened with understanding. Even if Whitley hadn't gone through what she had, he still had been given every reason to be wary thanks to their father. "I know it looks scary, but I promise you it's just as safe as any other part of this town."

Whitley's eyes darted around. "I'm regretting this so much…"

"Just come on," Weiss urged. "We're almost there. I promise."

Whitley nodded shakily. Scared as he was, following Weiss toward this unknown area was much more appealing than turning around and trying to get back into the Manor alone. _I wouldn't even be able to,_ he realized. _Weiss has the key!_

As they approached the Xiao Long house, Whitley nearly let out a shout when he saw a dark form stepping out from the shadows. He was only stopped when a quick-thinking Weiss hurriedly covered his mouth. 

"I'm sorry!" Pyrrha said. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"Pyrrha!" Weiss rushed over to her friend, hugging her tightly. "I'm so glad you're back!"

"As am I." Pyrrha looked at the petrified boy on the path, who looked as if he had been turned to stone. "Is this your brother?"

"Yes." Weiss drew back. "Whitley, this is my friend Pyrrha. Pyrrha, this is Whitley."

Pyrrha smiled kindly, holding out her hand.

Whitley didn't move forward to take it. "Where is your dæmon?" he asked, his voice trembling. Demetria's moth wings fluttered fearfully.

"Hermes can fly as far from me as he chooses," Pyrrha explained.

Whitley's eyes widened even further. "You're a witch."

"I am," Pyrrha said calmly. She was used to shocked and horrified reactions when she traveled south.

Whitley gaped at Weiss. "This is why you've been sneaking out? To see a witch? I don't know if this is better or worse than the thought of you having a secret lover. You aren't becoming Pagan, are you?!" His face paled at the very thought.

"No, I'm not!" Weiss snapped. "Stop being rude!"

"Don't worry. I'm used to it," Pyrrha said, waving her hand dismissively. "Here comes Hermes. Perhaps I'm less unsettling to you now?" She held out her arm, allowing the red hawk to land as he appeared seemingly out of the darkness itself.

Whitley swallowed loudly. Demetria crept from his hood, staring at the hawk with beady eyes. After a moment, she transformed into a hawk herself, giving herself white feathers to keep with what she knew she was supposed to look like.

"I-It's a p-pleasure to meet you," he stammered, trying to regain some of his dignity.

At that moment, the door opened and Yang looked out. "Hey, Weiss. Why're you just hovering outside? Oh, hi Pyrrha."

"Hello, again!"

Whitley turned his attention toward this new girl and her huge, mighty lion dæmon. He tried to understand what was happening. Weiss wasn't meeting a man. She was meeting a witch and some…peasant girl? "Weiss, what exactly is going on here?"

Weiss looked back at Whitley. "I'm not sneaking out to see a man. I'm sneaking out to see my friends. Jaune does happen to be one such friend, but that's all he is to me." She decided against bringing up Yang's status as her soulmate for the time being.

Thankfully, Yang and Pyrrha both seemed to catch on to that fact. Yang walked over to Whitley, holding out her hand with a friendly grin. "Nice to meet you. I'm Yang, and this is Yong Shi."

Whitley took the hand hesitantly, wincing at how tight the grip was and inwardly cringing as he felt a definite griminess on her palm, likely from all the dust in the air. "Likewise. My name is Whitley, and this is Demetria."

Demetria hopped off of Whitley's shoulder, eyed Yong Shi, then shifted into the form of a white lioness, touching her nose politely to the larger lion's.

They all went into the house. Weiss noticed with a frown that Whitley wiped his hand on his pant leg once Yang turned away. Thankfully, Weiss was the only one to see.

Taiyang grinned when he saw Weiss. "Hey, Weiss. Brought a friend, did you?"

"This is my brother, Whitley."

"Welcome, Whitley! Have a seat wherever you like."

Whitley looked around, frowning at the cluttered nature of the house. At the very least, the furniture surfaces looked well-dusted, if a bit worn. He sat down at the edge of a wooden chair, his posture tense and erect.

Pyrrha closed her eyes for a moment, a smile coming to her face. "Jaune will be here soon," she announced.

Sure enough, Jaune knocked on the door only a minute later. Whitley's eyes nearly left his skull when he saw the awkward, bumbling boy greet the tall, intimidating witch with a kiss.

Weiss suppressed a giggle as she watched her brother. "He's adapting better than I thought he would."

Yang slipped her hand into Weiss's and squeezed gently. "He reminds me of you during your first few visits. He'll be okay if his brain doesn't explode."

"Whether it does or not remains to be seen," Weiss murmured.

Jaune, noticing Whitley's unease, quickly sat down next to him and started asking him questions about the Company, which Whitley was able to answer easily. As they talked, Demetria turned into a little white squirrel and got acquainted with Eliana on the table.

Yang took the opportunity to lead Weiss outside. "I guess we can't practice fighting this time," she guessed.

"Yes. The absence of two Schnees is a bit more obvious. We'll probably have to leave shortly," Weiss said sadly. She let out a sigh as Yang pulled her into a long hug. She nuzzled against the brawler's neck, snuggling as close as she could. It was dark, and few people would likely see them. Besides, she needed this. Even with the soulmate bond, she hated to be physically separated from Yang.

She felt Yong Shi nudge her hand and gladly stroked the lion's mane, smiling at the quiet whimper Yang let out in response. "I love you," she whispered. "I can't wait until we can be free of all this."

"Me too," Yang murmured, inhaling the flowery scent of Weiss's hair. "We just need to wait a few more months. Hang in there."

"I'll try." Weiss allowed herself to relax for another minute before reluctantly drawing back.

Anmut was snuggling with Yong Shi and moved back when Weiss did. "Maybe, once we're north, separating won't be so terrible," he suggested. "Since it won't be forced, and we won't have to sneak around all the time."

"I'm sure that will be the case," Weiss said.

They went back inside, just in time to hear Whitley's horrified cry of: "You let your daughter wander the Faunus District by herself?!"

"Not by herself," Taiyang said, completely unperturbed by Whitley's outburst. "Ruby stays with her friends while there."

"Are these friends Faunus too?!"

"They are," Taiyang said, a hint of sternness entering his voice. "People in my family are kind and accepting of everyone, as long as they're goodhearted."

"I met them, Whitley," Weiss cut in. "Father has poisoned us against the Faunus growing up."

"Why on earth would he do that if they aren't actually degenerates?" Whitley demanded.

"I would guess that he doesn't want you to view them as people, so you would be able to continue his practice of not paying them fair wages and letting them work in substandard conditions without feeling guilty," Pyrrha suggested.

"That-!" Whitley started to say, then paused, considering Pyrrha's words. "That's…I…"

Weiss patted her brother's shoulder. "Let's go home, Whitley."

Whitley quickly stood up. "Of course." He nodded toward Taiyang. "Thank you for your hospitality, sir."

"You're welcome. Come back anytime!"

Weiss shared one last glance with Yang, wishing desperately that she could stay longer. _Next time,_ she thought.

Just as she was approaching the door, Pyrrha walked over to her, discreetly slipping a bundle of paper into her hand. Weiss quickly hid the letters under her cloak, nodding once in gratitude. She had wondered if she would just have to wait until next time to get those letters, as she wasn't sure if she wanted Whitley to know about Winter just yet either. Thankfully, Whitley didn't seem to notice the brief passing of papers.

As the two walked home, Whitley looked curiously at his sister. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you put yourself at risk just to see them?" Whitley asked. "I mean, a forbidden lover at least makes sense, but I don't understand what you get from them. A witch, a group of peasants, the Arc, and apparently a pack of Faunus… What's the point?"

"You talked with Jaune. You liked him, didn't you?"

"Well, yes. He's surprisingly easy to talk to," Whitley acknowledged. "But is that worth the danger?"

"Yes," Weiss replied, stopping so that she could turn and look Whitley straight in the eye. "Whitley, I spent my entire life trapped in that Manor with Klein as the only friendly face I ever knew. Recently, I met these people completely by chance, largely thanks to Jaune. Since then, I actually feel happy. That's worth anything, Whitley. Anything."

Whitley glanced at the path, then back at Weiss. "How long can it last, though? You know you have to marry soon, and likely will move elsewhere."

 _Not quite, little brother._ "All the more reason to enjoy it while I can. So, can you please continue keeping this a secret? For my sake?"

Whitley stared at his sister for a moment before his shoulders slumped. "I…suppose." The two started walking again. "So, when are you going to tell me how you got that scar?"

"When I decide to," Weiss replied firmly.

The sound of hurried footsteps on the path caused them to abruptly turn around. It was Ruby running toward them. She skidded to a halt, panting as much as Baynar was. "Hey, Weiss!" she gasped. "I caught you! It feels like I keep missing you, and I wanted to-" She stopped suddenly as she noticed Whitley and his dæmon, who hopped down from his shoulder without prompting to approach Baynar.

Baynar felt an odd tremor go through him as this new dæmon stepped closer. He touched his nose to the tiny mouse, feeling an odd warmth as she transformed into a white fox and swished her tail shyly.

Ruby stared at Whitley. "Um, hi," she said, trying to recover while figuring out why she felt so weird all of a sudden. "I'm Ruby, and that's Baynar."

"I…I'm Whitley," Whitley barely managed to say. "A pleasure to meet you." He felt strangely warm looking at Ruby, warm and…content? He wasn't sure what that feeling even was. He looked at Demetria, who was acquainting herself with the dog-like dæmon in the form of a strangely-beautiful fox. All of a sudden, he really did not want to go back to the Manor.

Weiss watched the exchange with a growing smile. _Anmut, do you think…?_

 _I think so,_ Anmut thought. _The feelings seem less than what we experienced, though. Probably because Demetria hasn't settled yet._

 _This certainly got more interesting._ She wished that they didn't have to leave so quickly. "Whitley, we have to go home. I can bring you with me another time."

Whitley nodded, quickly pulling himself out of whatever strange spell he had just been over. _What is wrong with me? Getting all bent out of shape over a girl all of a sudden._ "Goodbye," he said, nodding his head once before following Weiss toward the Manor.

"See you next time, Ruby!" Weiss called.

"Bye!" Ruby waved, her heart pounding as she looked at Baynar. "What was that?"

"I don't know," Baynar muttered. "But, I think Whitley's going to be our friend. Whatever else is going on, I'm sure of that."

…

Klein's heart dropped when he entered the cellar to wait for Weiss and Whitley and heard someone else rummaging through the bottles. Saying a silent prayer that the siblings wouldn't return just then, he started weaving through the shelves, seeking out whoever was down there, praying it was one of the more amicable servants.

Of course, he couldn't be so lucky. The servant he found was one of Jacques's personal favorites, one who didn't even know about the secret way out of the garden. He was just leaving the shelves and nearly ran right into Klein.

"Ah! Klein, what are you doing here so late?" he asked. The sleek-furred, black rat dæmon on his shoulder was glaring suspiciously.

"Willow suggested a certain brand of wine for tomorrow," Klein lied quickly. "I was just checking to make sure we had some."

"Oh. No need to worry about that!" the servant said with a smile. "The Master always is sure to provide the Mistress's favorites. He's very kind in that respect."

Just hearing the word "kind" being used unironically to refer to Jacques made Klein want to vomit, but he just nodded. "That's good to know." He made a split-second decision. "Let me walk with you back to the servants' quarters. I needed to check the windows there anyway."

"Certainly!"

The two went out, Jacques's favorite servant babbling on and on about the latest party that had been thrown at the Manor, Klein letting out a mental sigh of relief once they were out of sight of the cellar. _You two will have to make it to your rooms on your own tonight._

 **So, our boy Whitley is officially on his sister's side. What will that mean for the Schnees and their friends in the future? What is happening to Willow? Stay tuned to find out more!**

 **Commissions are still open, folks. There are two slots left, so hurry and PM me if you want to claim one.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	12. The Dingo's Concern

**Hello, everybody! We're back with more of your favorite Dæmon AU! Time for some more Schnee sibling goodness!**

 **Enjoy!**

When Whitley was summoned to his father's study, he was petrified. _He knows. He has to know! He's going to get the cane, Demetria! He hasn't used the cane in years. I thought we were finally free of it, but-_

 _Stop it!_ Demetria desperately thought back as she trembled on his shoulder in the form of a mouse. _This could be anything. Don't give yourself away._

Whitley took a deep breath, trying to summon the stoic, uncaring face he was so used to wearing. First, he had to steady his breathing. He took several more breaths, counting the seconds between each inhale and exhale. Then, he had to fix a frown onto his face. Then, he allowed his eyes to relax and take on an expression of languid boredom. Finally, he gently took Demetria from his shoulder and placed her on the ground, where she focused for nearly a minute before assuming the form of a white wolf.

It was getting harder and harder to take on that form. Certain animals, Whitley noticed, were becoming more difficult for Demetria, where they had once all been effortless.

Maybe this was a sign that she was finally settling. Then again, if he was going by what form she took most often, that meant that she'd likely settle as a mouse. He knew for a fact that his father wouldn't like that.

Still, he kept his expression firm as he led his wolf-formed dæmon to the study and knocked. When he entered, he felt Demetria balking under the merciless amber glare of the gray wolf that lay at Jacques's feet.

"Sit." Jacques gestured toward an empty armchair across from his desk.

Whitley obeyed, feeling no comfort as he sank into the plush material of the chair. He glanced at a nearby chair that was just made out of wood, a chair used for when Jacques wished to talk to someone of a lesser status. He sat up straight and folded his hands in his lap while Demetria sat at his right side. "What did you wish to discuss, Father?"

"Your future." Jacques leaned across his desk, peering down at his son. "You do realize that people have been talking, don't you?"

Whitley barely kept from letting out an obvious breath of relief. _It's about Demetria settling. I can handle this._ "Yes, Father." He ducked his head.

"You can't remain a child forever," Jacque continued. "I've been waiting to begin training you to take over the Company, but there's little you can legally do until after your dæmon finally settles." He gestured toward Demetria. "She seems to have no problem holding one form. Why can't she just pick one and be done with it?"

 _Because that's not how it works._ "How old were you when your dæmon settled, Father?" Whitley asked.

"Twelve," Jacques responded. "A good, respectable age to settle. Thirteen is a little late, fourteen is practically unheard of. Weiss, of course, had to rebel and wait until fourteen. You, however, are nearing fifteen. You're out of time."

He leaned back and his expression became something close to a smile. "After all, you don't want to be like your sister, do you?"

Whitley felt a surprisingly-hot surge of rage. At his side, Demetria's fur briefly darkened to a blue-gray color that reminded Whitley of a bruise, then quickly reverted back to white as he regained control over himself.

Jacques noticed this change with a frown, his good humor immediately gone. "This dallying with your dæmon had better not be a sign of rebellion."

"It's not, sir!" Whitley insisted, trying to keep his voice from sounding too desperate.

"Because you know what I'd do if I thought my one and only heir was threatening to disgrace me."

"Yes, sir!"

"There are many advances being made in medicine," Jacques continued. "Things that can be done to the brain itself. Adjustments that can be made." He tapped his brow. "Very handy, but also expensive. I'd rather only do something of that nature if it's absolutely necessary." He leaned closer. "Don't make it necessary."

Whitley swallowed audibly. "I understand."

"Good." Jacques leaned back again. "You may go. Please think about what I said and get your dæmon to make a decision soon."

"Yes, Father. Thank you for seeing me." Whitley stood up, bowed, and went out the door, Demetria at his side. He passed one of his father's favorite servants, a mousey fellow who always looked poised to kiss someone's boots, and firmly fixed his gaze down the hallway as he walked.

Once he turned a corner, he collapsed against the wall. Demetria turned into a dove and flew to his shoulder, rubbing her head gently against his cheek.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I'm trying. I'm trying so hard!"

"Don't apologize," Whitley snapped, then hurried to gentle his tone. "There's nothing wrong with you, my dear. Nothing." He placed a gentle hand on her small form. "We just need to try harder. You'll settle soon. I know it."

Demetria still trembled but managed to calm herself down a little. "Can we bake tonight?" she asked.

"I'll ask Klein," Whitley murmured. "We have fencing practice tonight, remember?"

Another moment passed before Demetria spoke again. "I was thinking about that girl."

"Me too," he admitted. "Why do you think we reacted like that to seeing her?"

"I don't know," Demetria muttered. "I mean, it's different from…" She trailed off. _It's not the same as when we see attractive men._

A shiver went through Whitley and he glanced around, irrationally wondering if a member of the Church would swoop down on him for simply thinking about such a thing. Nothing happened, and he looked back at his dæmon. "Whatever it is, I know I'd like to see her again."

"Weiss may take us," Demetria said. "But, I think it's only fair if we do something for her first."

"I know." Whitley thought about his upcoming fencing lesson and breathed a sigh. "I suppose baking will have to wait for another time."

…

There are certain moments in life that deserve to last forever, moments a person wishes to bottle and keep, so that they can experience them again whenever they need something to make them feel happy or remind them that their lives can actually be good.

Lying in a quiet clearing, his head resting on his soulmate's lap, one hand holding hers while the other gently stroked her dæmon, his own dæmon perched on her shoulder and being lovingly caressed, Jaune knew that he was living in one of those moments. He lazily switched between having his eyes fully closed so that he could doze a bit while drowning in the pleasure of a beloved hand gentling Eliana, and opening them just slightly so that he could look at Pyrrha's kindly face smiling down at him.

Due to the ongoing contact between the two and their dæmons, they didn't even need to speak aloud to each other. The thoughts and feelings conveyed through Hermes and Eliana were enough.

Jaune's thoughts wandered through what he had done and seen while Pyrrha was gone, from the nightly visits from Weiss to the riot in the District. He felt Pyrrha's regret that she hadn't been there to help Ilia, and quickly reassured her that the Faunus could handle a lot.

 _Just the same, I'm glad they want to come north,_ Pyrrha thought. _Weiss too. I feel that we can get them all there safely, especially since Weiss is obviously capable of sneaking away from her father._

Jaune smiled a bit. He definitely admired Weiss's resourcefulness. _I talked to my parents. They're already giving me money to make a start, but they said they'll help Weiss if the Gyptians demand money._

 _They will let her board,_ Pyrrha thought confidently. _They aren't a ferry service, but they do have a special place in their hearts for those who suffer abuse in the south and wish to go north to escape. There are some boats specially designed to hide runaways._

Jaune opened an eye. _You never told me that._

 _I didn't know until recently. I never had to ask about such things before meeting Weiss and Winter,_ Pyrrha admitted.

 _She's lucky to have met you._ Jaune squeezed her hand. _We all are, especially me._

Pyrrha touched a kiss to Eliana's head, laughing softly as the squirrel dæmon's bushy tail tickled her neck.

Jaune sat up so he could kiss Pyrrha fully. He felt Eliana scamper from his soulmate's shoulder to his before jumping down to play with Hermes. He held Pyrrha close, smiling as she tangled her fingers through his hair.

As the kiss ended, Pyrrha glanced regretfully at the darkening sky. "I should probably escort you home."

"Hm… I think I'd rather stay here." Jaune nuzzled the side of Pyrrha's neck.

Pyrrha giggled. "Jaune, you know the forest isn't safe at night."

"Yang comes here at night all the time."

"And I really should lecture her about that," Pyrrha finished. She pecked Jaune's cheek. "Besides, I need to fly tonight, and you need to speak with Weiss if she comes out."

Jaune let out a regretful sigh. "Okay." He drew back, kissing her once more. "Let's go." He smiled as the witch's slender, calloused hand slipped effortlessly into his. Hermes perched on his shoulder while Eliana was picked up once more by Pyrrha.

It was the most natural thing in the world.

…..

"Hey, Yang?"

"Yeah, Ruby?"

Ruby picked at a blade of grass at the forest's edge, staring up at the afternoon sky. "What'll happen when we go north?"

"Whatever we want," Yang replied. "You and Dad will come up with Blake, Sun, and Ilia with the trading caravans Uncle Qrow guards. By then, Weiss, Jaune, and I will have things all set up. Dad can hunt game, we can learn actual trades besides laundry or other 'women's work,' and we'll grow up happy."

"What'll happen to _us_ , though?" Ruby asked, turning to look at her sister. Baynar was silent and pensive at her side. "I know you love Weiss, and that she's your soulmate. That means she's the most important person in your life."

"Hey." Yang immediately realized what her sister was saying and pulled her into a hug. "You're as important as Weiss, just in a different way."

"But Weiss is-"

"My soulmate, yeah. And you're my sister. That'll never change." Yang felt Yong Shi standing up and moving over to Baynar, curling around the small dingo protectively. "You'll always be part of my life, sis. And look at it this way: You're technically getting another sister."

Ruby's expression quickly turned into a smile. "That does sound pretty great."

"See?" Yang ruffled Ruby's hair before letting her go, though she still kept her arm around her. "Speaking of soulmates, why don't you tell me more about when you met Whitley?"

Ruby shook her head. "I'm not sure if it was a soulbond. It didn't sound like how you or Jaune described yours. I just felt like he needed me, somehow."

"Well, Whitley's dæmon hasn't settled yet," Yang reasoned. "According to Jaune and Pyrrha, a dæmon has to settle before it can really sense its soulmate. Maybe you felt a onesided thing, and it'll become an actual bond later, once Whitley's dæmon settles."

Ruby nodded slowly. "That makes sense. I wonder why Whitley needs me."

Yang snorted. "Well, that's easy. He's a sheltered kid who was only ever taught to be stuck-up and nervous. Who better to pull him out of his shell than my ball-of-sunshine sister? I'm more curious about why you need him."

"I guess I'll find out once we can actually bond," Ruby reasoned. "Do you think our bond will be a romantic one?"

"Who knows?" Yang smiled fondly, thinking of Weiss. "Whatever happens, just be yourself and let things flow naturally. You'll figure it out."

"Okay." Ruby leaned into Yang's side and yawned. "When we go north, I wanna be a blacksmith."

Yang rubbed Ruby's arm. "You'll need to build some muscles for that."

"I can do it. I want to make amazing weapons," Ruby insisted.

"Make something great for me, will you?"

"How about metal gauntlets that make you punch harder?" Ruby suggested.

Yang grinned. "I like the sound of that."

…..

Weiss still couldn't believe what had just happened. She had just had her first fencing lesson, albeit a secret one that only lasted a few minutes.

Just as she was going to bed, Whitley had knocked on her door, still wearing his padding, Demetria still in the form of a pale-furred version of his fencing instructor's weasel dæmon. "I can teach you a little if you hurry."

What followed was a somewhat haphazard lesson, during which Whitley showed Weiss the proper stance and how to hold a practice saber. He was surprised at how quickly she mastered the pose, then demonstrated a few moves for her before hurrying her back to her room.

"I need to figure out how the people in this area move around at this time," he explained. "It's too risky having longer lessons otherwise."

Weiss smiled. "Thank you, Whitley. This really does mean a lot."

Whitley shrugged. "Well, since I can't be around to protect you every time you have your little outings…" Something occurred to him. "Actually, I have something else that may be useful. Wait here."

While he was gone, Weiss talked quietly with Anmut. "He seems so…I don't know."

"Nervous?" Anmut suggested. "Unsure?"

"Unsure! That's it," Weiss glanced at the door. "He's usually so composed. Maybe he can't handle breaking rules or going against Father."

"Maybe he's scared, because he now knows the world is different from what he's been taught." Anmut smoothed down his feathers. "The fact that he'd help us while feeling so afraid says a lot."

"I agree," Weiss sighed. "We really misjudged him. I hope he'll be okay when we go north."

"He's smart," Anmut said. "Once he takes control of the Company, he'll be fine. Now that he understands more, he may lead the Schnee family to greatness rather than the same path Jacques took it."

"But what if he really is soulmates with Ruby?" Weiss asked. The question lingered in the air unpleasantly, like a wave of humidity after a rainstorm.

A minute later, Whitley returned. In his hand was a small, sheathed dagger with a silver-plated handle and a simple steel blade. "My spare dueling dagger. It's probably better you have this one than the other, as my primary dagger is covered in jewels and would be an appealing target for robbers." He also had a thin, black leather belt that matched the material of the dagger sheath. "You should be able to hide it under your cloak."

Weiss stared at the dagger, her eyes wide, her heart pounding. She stepped forward, throwing her arms around her brother and hugging him tightly. She felt him stiffen at the sudden contact and felt a pang of sadness, remembering her own confusion when Jaune and Yang hugged her the first few times. "Thank you, Whitley."

Whitley blinked rapidly. For some reason, the area behind his eyes seemed to be itching. He awkwardly patted Weiss's back before stepping back, clearing his throat. "Yes, well, I'd better get to bed, and you should do the same."

He started down the hall, then paused, "Um, would you say hello to that girl for me?" he asked in a whisper.

"Ruby?" Weiss smiled. "Of course, I will. Maybe you can come with me again."

At this, Whitley cracked a small smile. "I…may take you up on that offer. Goodnight, sister."

"Goodnight." Weiss closed the door, holding her new dagger reverently in her hands. "Thank you," she whispered, to no one in particular this time.

 **I'm really loving this part of the story. Next week will see more Whitley development and bonding between siblings. Stay tuned!**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **I still have two commission slots open! Get them while they're hot! PM me for details.**

 **Peace out!**


	13. The Lion's Proposal

**Greetings, my lovelies! We're back with another chapter of your favorite Soulmate AU! Do you want even more sibling bonding and Freezerburn cuteness? Of course, you do!**

 **Enjoy!**

Monday evening saw yet another charity ball held at the Schnee Manor. Weiss honestly didn't care what it was for. According to Whitely, the majority of the money raised went back into the extravagance of the event itself, so little of it actually found its way to the impoverished people Jacques was pretending to care about.

"Isn't it possible to get sponsors to help with the expenses?" Weiss had asked. "Or spend less on things like that giant ice wolf centerpiece?"

"Oh, it certainly is," Whitley had replied dryly. "What's possible isn't always what's done."

Speaking of Whitley, Weiss couldn't help but notice his absence toward the end of the night. At one point he had been talking with the son of one of the guests. Then, he was gone. Jacques had briefly vanished as well, but he was quick to return from wherever he had been, as he was the host of this ball and was very determined to keep an eye on Weiss after her apparent failed encounters with Jaune. Anmut immediately noticed that the gray wolf seemed even more furious than usual.

 _Head down. Don't make eye contact._ Weiss tried not to tremble as she felt her father's repressed anger like static coming from his body and brushing her skin whenever she got too close.

Part of her wanted to find some young man to escort her, just so she could be away from her father for a little while. The rest of her remembered the fact that Jacques was planning to marry her off soon, and didn't want to give him any ideas.

Thankfully, Jacques's anger wasn't directed at her, and she was able to go mostly-ignored until the night was over and she was excused to go to bed. She was in her nightgown and just about to go to sleep when there was a knock on her door.

She was shocked to see a sullen Whitley and a moth-formed Demetria waiting on the other side. Whitley sported a very ugly bruise on his cheek and was holding his right arm with his left in a rare departure from his usual posture of keeping his hands behind his back.

"Do you…want to bake some cookies?" he asked, his voice nervous, clipped, and hesitant.

Out of all the things Weiss had thought Whitley would say, this wasn't one of them. She blinked once. "What?"

Whitley rolled his eyes. "Did I speak French just now? The kitchen is empty. Do you want to bake some cookies? You can take them with you next time." He lowered his voice at the last part.

Weiss shook her head, still confused by the offer. "I don't know how."

"I do."

"Really?"

Whitley smiled dryly, wincing when this caused the bruise on his face to sting. "You're not the only one with secrets, sister. Are you coming, or not?"

Weiss shared a glance with Anmut, then stepped out of her room. "Lead on."

She wasn't surprised to see Klein departing from the kitchen as she and Whitley approached. The kindly butler nodded at them. "You know where everything is."

"Thank you, Klein." Whitley saw Klein's expression darken at the sight of his bruises and wished he had thought to put that concealer makeup on before leaving his room. Then again, his recent tears likely would have made the makeup useless.

He could feel Weiss's eyes on him as he went about collecting the flour, sugar, and chocolate pieces. "You have your ways of keeping sane, I have mine," he said crisply. "Mine just happens to be less dangerous."

Weiss watched her brother, noticing an easygoing fluidity in his movements that she had never seen before. She noticed Demetria shifting from a moth to a mouse and looking fearfully toward the door. "Those extra treats I keep finding in the kitchen… You made those?"

"It depends. Sometimes it's Klein," Whitley admitted. "But mostly, yes. Klein bribes the other servants with the treats, so no one reports the unauthorized extra use of ingredients."

"Well, your skills are certainly appreciated," Weiss said with a smile. "I've snuck food out to my friend several times. Ruby especially enjoys them."

"Does she?" Whitley glanced over, feeling an unexpected flush of happiness at this news. "Would you tell her that these cookies are from me?"

Weiss's smile widened. "I certainly will. Took a rather quick fancy to her, didn't you?"

Whitley blushed. "I…don't know," he murmured. "I mean, I've never been attracted to…" He trailed off. "I don't know if I fancy her, but I feel like I want to know her. Do you understand?"

"I do," Weiss affirmed. "Very much so." _They're definitely soulmates._

Whitley looked at the chocolate pieces and frowned. "Hm. That won't be enough." He went to the counter that held a covered block of chocolate and started to chisel a large piece off of it. "Weiss, would you break this up for me?" He placed the chocolate piece and a small hammer on the counter near her.

Weiss took the tiny hammer uncertainly. "Do I just hit it?"

"Yes, but don't pulverize it. We want pieces, not dust."

Weiss looked at the chocolate and started gently tapping the edge of it with the hammer, feeling oddly satisfied when a few good-sized pieces came off. "When did you start doing this?"

"When I was eight," Whitley said, sifting the flour into a mixing bowl as he talked. "I had Demetria transform into the form of a parrot and mock Father as a joke during dinner."

"I remember that!" Weiss said with a giggle. It was the only time she had ever seen Demetria look so colorful. _Come to think of it, she did turn into more of a variety of animals earlier on._ A brief, fleeting memory of a young Whitley and an orange tiger cub-formed Demetria running down a hallway came to mind.

"Well, even though no one of consequence saw it, Father was very angry, as you can imagine. He gave me a black eye." Whitley put the sifter to the side. "Klein found me crying in my room and offered to bring me cookies and milk. I waited, but he didn't come back. I went to the kitchen, and found Klein hurrying to make a batch of cookies. He apologized, saying that someone ate the last of the cookies, but promising me a fresh batch in less than an hour. I didn't want to go back to my room and wait alone, so I stayed and watched."

He measured the sugar. "I just watched that time, and I remember feeling soothed by watching him do each exact step, take each exact measurement, and mix it all together into the cookies I'd be eating. I enjoyed it almost more than eating the warm cookies later on. He asked if I wanted to make them next time, and the rest is history."

"I see." Weiss hit the chocolate a few more times, brushing the pieces into a pile. Her mind was reeling as she worked. All this time, she had looked at Whitley as a miniature version of her father, the lucky heir who would get everything from Jacques one day and who couldn't give anyone the time of day.

 _Why?_ she wondered. _I knew that Father beat him, just like he beat me. Why did I write him off as a lost cause? Was it because it was easier? Because I wanted to just focus on my own sadness?_

"I said pieces, not dust!" Whitley snapped.

Weiss jumped, realizing that she had started hitting the chocolate too hard. "Sorry," she murmured, brushing the overly-pulverized bits aside. "You know," she said, hoping to lighten the mood. "Once you're in charge here, no one can tell you what to do. You can bake as much as you want."

"When I have time," Whitley sighed. "With all that goes into running the Company, it'll be a miracle if I have any time to think." He started mixing the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. He beat the eggs with a grim expression on his face. "The business aspect is easy to grasp, but there is so much more. I need to keep up appearances, talk to people who I'll forget in a day, lick the boots of the right people, turn up my nose at the wrong people, keep the Faunus in their place, oversee the household." He shook his head. "Meanwhile, I still can't get my dæmon to settle."

Weiss glanced at Demetria, who had shifted into what looked like a mongoose during Whitley's rant, but was now in the form of a dove. "I'm sure you'll figure it out," she said. "I think the key is to stop thinking about what Father wants and just allow yourself to exist as you are. Anmut, for example, settled while I was singing at a concert, during a time when I wasn't thinking about anything but doing what I enjoyed."

Whitley glanced at Demetria, who tilted her head at him before turning into a cat and hopping onto the floor. "Maybe if I can bake without looking over my shoulder," he chuckled. Then, his expression sobered. "Admittedly, I'm worried about what she'll settle as. I've tried making her a wolf to please Father, but it's getting harder for her to take that form. Meanwhile, she's almost always in the form of a mouse or dove, which I know Father would hate. I'm so afraid of what will happen if she settles as something he doesn't like, and…" He realized that tears were threatening to fall, and hurriedly wiped his face on his sleeve.

Weiss put the chocolate and hammer to the side and walked over to her brother. "Whitley, it doesn't matter what Father says. Your dæmon will take whatever form she's meant to have. Nothing can change that. If Father doesn't like it, there's little he can do. At the end of the day, you'll be an adult, and won't have to put up with his abuse once the Company becomes yours. You just need to endure a little more, then you won't have to anymore."

Whitley looked at his sister, stunned at the earnest look on her face, at the way her eyes shined with sympathy for him. Why had he never reached out to her before? He swallowed loudly. "That's true," he muttered. "And I'll try to get Father to marry you to someone nice."

Weiss felt a twisting in her gut, but forced herself to not bring up the fact that she'd be gone before the year was over. "I would definitely appreciate that," she said instead.

They went back to their tasks, eventually taking a perfect batch of cookies out of the oven. As they left the cookies to cool, Weiss glanced at the trembling, mouse-formed Demetria and wondered just what she'd finally settle as, if Whitley could ever decide exactly who he was.

….

When Weiss arrived at the Xiao Long house bearing a box of cookies, Ruby declared that she was her new favorite person.

"Whitley made them, so he should be your favorite," Weiss pointed out, silently marveling at how Ruby scarfed down one cookie in less than a second.

"Mmph!" Ruby struggled to swallow. "Oh, tell him I said hi!" she urged.

"I will," Weiss promised. "And I'll try to bring him out when I can."

"Glad to hear you two are getting along," Yang remarked. "It's like I said: sibling bonds are too important to neglect." She ruffled Ruby's hair, grinning as her sister batted at her with annoyance.

"There's so much I didn't know about him," Weiss admitted as the three went inside to sit down. "I suppose I never thought about what he's dealing with, since he's in a better position than mine."

"I mean, being in a better position than you doesn't mean much," Yang pointed out. "It just means your dad's slightly less of a jackass, right?"

"Yang!"

"What? He is!"

"He is," Ruby agreed, spraying cookie crumbs as she talked.

"Don't talk with your mouth full!" Weiss snapped.

Ruby pouted, but didn't say anything else.

"I was gonna ask," Yang piped up. "You said your brother's dæmon is taking forever to settle, right? Could it be because she's always imitating other people instead of choosing her own forms?"

Weiss blinked. "What do you mean?"

"What, you haven't noticed?" Yang patted Yong Shi. "When he met me, his dæmon turned into a lioness. When he met Dad, she turned into a deer. While she was here, I just saw her turn from a lioness to a deer, then occasionally a mouse."

Weiss looked at the ground. "Now that you mention it…" She thought of all the forms she usually saw Demetria take. At balls, she usually appeared as a white wolf. The only time she changed was when she was being introduced to someone important. Weiss remembered her turning into a cat to imitate a cardinal's dæmon, and recently taking the form of a lizard when talking to a boy with a lizard-formed dæmon at the most recent charity ball. During their fencing lessons, Demetria was a weasel, which was also the dæmon of Whitley's fencing instructor.

The only other forms Weiss saw on a regular basis were those of a mouse, dove, or moth. The mouse always looked terrified, the moth acted like it wanted to hide, and the dove usually was rubbing her cheek against Whitley's in a gesture of comfort. Even then, the color of Demetria was always white, echoing Whitley's apparent obsession with keeping the "pure" image of the Schnee dæmons.

 _He's either trying to ingratiate himself to others, or living in constant fear,_ Weiss realized, her heart sinking. _No wonder he is the way he is._ Again, she felt deeply ashamed that she hadn't tried to help her brother sooner.

"What can I do for him?" she wondered aloud.

Yang wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You being there for him is doing plenty, even if it doesn't look like it. Bring him out here, and we can get him to loosen up a little further."

"Yeah!" Ruby said eagerly. "I can show him how to jump rooftops in the District."

"Um, that might not be a good idea," Weiss said quickly.

"Yeah, bringing a Schnee into the District is a definite no," Yang said, her voice firm as she thought back to Weiss's story. Her grip on her soulmate tightened protectively for a moment.

Ruby sighed. "I guess that's true." She started munching on another cookie.

The three talked for another hour, and Yang told Weiss what she had recently learned from Jaune. "Apparently, people being abused pretty much get a free card from the Gyptians. You won't have any trouble getting north. Jaune offered to pay for me, but I'm still going to try to pay my own way."

"That's wonderful!" Weiss gasped, hugging Yang tightly. "I can't wait to introduce you all to my sister."

"I can't wait to meet an ice bear!" Ruby commented. "I've heard so many stories about them! They're the best smiths in the whole world."

"Thinking of apprenticing with one, sis?" Yang asked. 

"Ooh, do you think they'd teach a human?"

"My sister helps keep peace between humans and bears," Weiss remembered. "I'm sure she'll know the answer."

"Now, I _really_ can't wait!"

When Yang walked Weiss back home, she was very eager to hold her soulmate's new dagger. "Man, I'd kill for something this nice," she remarked. "Think he can get one for me?"

"Dueling daggers don't exactly grow on trees, Yang," Weiss pointed out. "Besides, it would probably be better for me to return it to him when we go north."

"I guess," Yang sighed, handing it back.

"Ruby wasn't with Blake tonight," Weiss noted.

"Yeah, she's been feeling a bit neglected, so I told her she could spend time with us," Yang explained.

"I'm glad," Weiss assured her. "I do like Ruby. I hope I'm not taking too much of your focus from her."

"Of course not! I can balance my soulmate with my sister," Yang assured her. "Speaking of…" She rubbed nervously at the back of her neck. "I was wondering. Do you think you can get out here on the first day of fall?"

Weiss tilted her head. "Why that day specifically?"

"Well, Dad'll be out hunting, I can get Ruby to spend the night with Blake, and it'll be the season we're going to get out of here, so I thought…" Her face flushed. "I thought it'd be a good time to complete the bond, and…maybe spend more quality time together?" She gave Weiss a hopeful, questioning look. "That can mean whatever you want it to."

"Oh!" Weiss's felt her own cheeks starting to burn, even as a strange, excited feeling made her insides feel like they were being twisted together. "I…I would like that very much." She looked at Anmut, who was staring at Yong Shi with an expression of unmasked desire. "I think we should decide what…what else is done when the time comes."

Yang nodded eagerly. "Yeah. That makes sense." She took a shaky breath, then pulled Weiss into a kiss. She loved how her soulmate's arms instinctively looped around her shoulders, the way her cooler, softer lips pressed to hers. She heard Yong Shi purring next to her, and felt a sudden jolt as he rubbed his head against Weiss's leg. How had she gone for so long without experiencing this?

They broke away slowly, and Weiss placed her hand on Yong Shi's brow, watching the way Yang's eyes flickered at the gentle touch. "Until next time."

Yang kissed Weiss's forehead. "Love you."

Weiss resisted the urge to snuggle into her soulmate's warm front and just stay there for the rest of the night. She stepped back instead, smiling up at her. "I love you too."

There was a definite spring in her step as she went back to the Manor, so much so that Anmut had to sternly remind her to pay attention to her surroundings until they reached the cellar unscathed.

…

Klein found the mousey servant again. This time, he went into the cellar a few minutes before the other servant, waiting silently near the shelves holding Willow's wine.

The servant's small form wove expertly through the shelves. He knew exactly where he was going. Klein watched as he stopped by Willow's wine and took a bottle down. He watched the servant uncork the wine, watched him take a smaller bottle of a clear liquid from a satchel at his side, watched him pour the clear liquid into the bottle, shake it a few times, then put it back.

Klein remained silent as he watched the servant go, as he waited for Weiss's return, as he felt the rage in his gut boiling like soup.

He wasn't surprised. This was exactly the kind of thing he expected from Jacques. That didn't stop him from wanting to kill the man right now, using one of those wine bottles as a weapon.

He didn't have to open the bottles to smell the extra spirits that had been poured in. He didn't have to ask any questions to know Jacques had decided that Willow wasn't complacent enough, wasn't drunk enough.

He didn't have to wonder whether or not Willow was slowly dying, because she was.

 **That's right. The alcoholic is being forced to drink even heavier doses to keep her complacent. It feels like, with every chapter of this thing, I add another despicable layer to Jacques. He's like a rotten, dirt-crusted onion. Not the** _ **Shrek**_ **kind or the** _ **Holes**_ **kind. I promise that you'll only hate him more in the upcoming chapters.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	14. The Spaniel's Decision

**It's Friday yet again, my lovelies, and I'm here with more character development for Weiss and Whitley, and more reasons to hate Jackass Schnee.**

 **Enjoy!**

Weiss brought Whitley with her the next time she snuck out. She had noticed a definite withdrawn attitude in her brother ever since the charity ball and decided that it was time for him to get another taste of freedom and a longer visit with Ruby. She hoped it would cheer him up. He had seemed happy when Weiss passed on the several compliments his cookies had received, after all.

His fear at being discovered was obvious in Demetria, who was currently a trembling moth on his shoulder. Her wings fluttered nervously the entire walk into town. Whitley kept one hand on his dagger until they were at the Xiao Long house, not relaxing until the doors opened and Yang and her mighty lion dæmon greeted them.

Demetria fluttered to the ground and tried turning into a lioness, but found that she was only able to turn into a small leopard cat. Whitley frowned. Just earlier that week, something similar had happened: Demetria had tried becoming a white wolf, only to turn into a coyote. Whitley was just glad she hadn't turned into a dog. He didn't need another beating.

 _I suppose this means she'll settle as something smaller._ What was a small animal that Jacques would tolerate? If Demetria turned into something fierce like an ermine or majestic like a swan, that would probably be okay. _Maybe a falcon?_ Whitley immediately discounted that idea. Demetria almost never took the form of a bird of prey. The only time he could remember was when she had imitated Pyrrha's dæmon.

Yang grinned when she saw the pair. "Well, hey! I was starting to wonder when I'd see you again, Whitley. C'mon in," she happily invited Whitley into the house. Once he walked by, Yang quickly leaned in to peck Weiss's cheek, pulling away just as fast with a wink.

Weiss's cheeks flushed as she felt a pulse of love that was slightly tinted with frustration traveling through their onesided bond. _We will have time alone later, Yang,_ she silently promised. _I wonder if she will be able to hear thoughts like that once the bond is completed?_

Anmut was eying Yang, wondering the same thing, but was willing to wait for the beginning of fall. In the meantime, he satisfied himself by pressing close to Yong Shi, listening to the lion's familiar purr.

Whitley, meanwhile, was immediately occupied by the red-clad girl sitting at the table. He stared as she stood up, feeling that strange, pleasant tingle passing through him and his dæmon.

Ruby looked at him for a moment, wearing an expression of confusion that mirrored his, then walked over, replacing her curious look with a bright smile. "Hey! Nice to see you again!" She was originally going to shake his hand but found herself hugging him instead.

Whitley stiffened, a jolt going through his body at the unfamiliar contact. Weiss had started hugging him recently, and that still felt rather strange. Now, he was being hugged by a near stranger. Yet, she didn't feel like a stranger… This was so confusing!

Baynar trotted over to Demetria, who shifted into a fox to greet him, touching her nose to his. Both dæmons' tails wagged rapidly.

Yang watched the pair with a knowing grin. "Totally soulmates," she muttered to Weiss.

Weiss nodded in agreement, though felt her heart sink as something occurred to her: _If they are soulmates…what will happen to Whitley when Ruby leaves here with me and Yang? He'll be stuck at the Manor with Father, knowing his soulmate is out there. Unless Demetria doesn't settle in time, and he never bonds._

She pushed that thought away immediately. Whitley deserved to know what the soulbond was like, even if it led to a difficult situation later. She had a feeling that Demetria was close to settling. Hopefully, it wouldn't take much longer.

The four visited for a few minutes before Ruby suggested going into the woods. This horrified Whitley.

"The woods?! Aren't there bears in there?" He swallowed audibly.

Yang rolled her eyes. "Jeez. What is it with Schnees and being terrified of bears?"

Weiss gave Yang a dry look. "Yang, I think everyone should have a healthy fear of bears."

"You don't have to worry," Ruby promised. "The area we'll be in is under Pyrrha's protection. Nothing will hurt us."

"I…see…" Honestly, Whitley wasn't sure if he should be more scared of a witch than of a bear. He thought back to when he had first met her, this woman with a free-roaming dæmon who could appear out of the shadows at will. Still, he didn't want Ruby to think he was a coward.

 _But, why do I care what she thinks?_

On the way, the group ran into Jaune, who evoked a whole new feeling of horror in Whitley. This was because he bore two dæmons on his shoulders. One was Eliana while one was Hermes.

"Isn't…Isn't that…?" Whitley stammered as Jaune approached.

"Pyrrha's dæmon," Weiss finished. "Yes. Don't worry."

Jaune noticed Whitley's stunned expression immediately. "Pyrrha and I are soulmates, so I'm allowed to touch Hermes," he explained before looking at Weiss, Yang, and Ruby. "She went to the west. I guess her leader wants her to establish trade with a port in that area. She'll be gone for a while." A shadow of sadness passed over his face.

"Soulmates?" Whitley gasped. "Like your…" He trailed off, thinking of Jaune's too-famous parents. He leaned close, glancing around nervously. "Is your family Pagan?"

"No, Whitley," Jaune sighed. "Soulbonds are not a pagan concept. It happens to everyone who meets their soulmate, no matter what religion they practice."

Whitley didn't respond. In fact, he was silent during most of their short walk in the woods. At his side, Demetria was in the form of a coyote again and was taking some comfort from Baynar, who barked encouragement into her ear.

Weiss slipped her hand into Yang's as they walked a bit behind the two, frowning as she noticed the continued tension in her brother's shoulders.

After bidding everyone farewell and starting toward the Manor, Whitley finally spoke up. "Weiss, I think you need to stop sneaking out."

"What?!" Weiss stared at her brother, feeling a sick sensation in her stomach. She had honestly thought that she was making progress. What went wrong?

"I noticed you looking at Yang," Whitley murmured. "And I noticed it last time, too. Even if you were trying to hide it, your dæmons were stuck together like glue."

Anmut shifted guiltily.

"You can't possibly have a future with her, Weiss," Whitley continued. "And now, with this soulmate nonsense your other friends are talking about…"

"It is not nonsense!" Weiss snapped.

Whitley jumped a bit at her tone, then fixed her with a stare. His eyes widened. "Yang is your soulmate, isn't she?" When Weiss didn't immediately answer, he let out a groan. "Weiss, what are you doing to yourself? You know what's expected of you. You know that you'll eventually have to marry. What you're doing will only cause it to hurt worse when reality comes crashing down on you! Not only that, but you're doubly risking yourself by being in love with a woman, and by believing in soulmates. I don't care what Jaune says. Society marks it as pagan, and that's all some people would need to hurt you!"

Weiss didn't tell him that reality wouldn't have the chance to crash down on her, that she'd be gone before Jacques or anyone in the Church could do anything to her. Instead, she just said: "You promised not to tell."

Whitley shook his head helplessly. "I won't tell, Weiss. I just… Please take my advice. You're setting yourself up for heartbreak and putting yourself in unnecessary danger. It won't do you any good in the end. Trust me."

There was something strange about his tone. Weiss looked at him sharply, but his face gave nothing away, nor did Demetria, who was back in her mouse form.

"I'll think about what you said," she replied. That was true enough, and it might put Whitley's mind at ease, at least for the time being.

Whitley relaxed, letting out a sigh. "Good." He waited while Weiss removed the loose bit of fence. "It's a shame, though. I really do like Ruby."

 _You have no idea,_ Weiss thought, glancing at Demetria. _If she settles, and he sees Ruby again…will he understand?_

She wasn't sure. She just knew that her nightly excursions were going to be done alone from that day on.

….

Klein felt like he was in a trance as he helped Weiss and Whitley get back into the Manor undetected and sent them off to bed. His mind was still replaying his most recent conversation with Willow over and over again.

He had just informed Willow that her wine was being tampered with, and begged her to not drink quite as much. Her response shocked him.

"I know."

"What?" Klein had gaped openly at her. "You know?"

"It wasn't difficult to figure out," Willow sighed. "I acted out while sober, so Jacques is going to make sure it doesn't happen again." She looked wistfully at the bottle. "One of these days, maybe I will get blood poisoning and end my suffering."

"Don't do that!" Klein begged. He had been spending several days now trying to contact the Gyptians. He would gladly give up what little money he had managed to save up if it meant sending Willow somewhere, anywhere else. He also was trying to find out if there were any discreet doctors on any of the waterways who could cure her of her dependence on alcohol.

"I'm dying, Klein," Willow insisted. "I've been a burden to you long enough." When she felt Klein's desperate thoughts and hopes, she laughed softly. "It's a nice dream, but I'm never getting away from here."

"I told you I'd get you out by the end of the year," Klein insisted. "And that's what I intend to do."

Willow sighed. "I know. I intend to be free of this place by spring, one way or another." She touched Klein's hand. "I pray that you will move on without me."

It was this hopelessness, this simple lack of belief that Klein was capable of saving her, that drove him to Jacques's office that night. He knew that his employer would still be working. Jacques just made his children think he was asleep so that they'd be too scared to disturb him in the evening.

He knocked firmly on the door. At his side, Sonja's fur was bristling.

When Jacques called him in, Klein kept his back straight and his eyes fixed forward. "Sir, there is something urgent I must discuss with you." His automatic use of the word "sir" made him wince.

Jacques put down the quill pen he had been using and folded his hands. His dæmon was growling quietly, noting that Klein hadn't waited for permission to speak.

"It has come to my attention that Mistress Willow is more inebriated than she's ever been," Klein said firmly. "Her consumption of alcohol has increased, and I am concerned as to the long-term effects this will have on her health."

Jacques let out a long-suffering sigh. "I'm aware of this, Klein. She is my wife, after all."

 _Not even trying to hide it, are you?_ "In that case, sir, perhaps you would consider buying her a weaker brand of wine or encouraging her to drink less." _Play the idiot while telling him what could happen. That's your only chance._ "I have heard horrible tales of people dying due to blood poisoning or becoming comatose due to too much alcohol. I would hate to see Mistress Willow suffer such a fate."

Jacques picked up his quill. "Thank you for telling me, Klein. You may go."

"Sir," Klein took a step forward, even as Sonja tried to urge him away. "Your wife is dying."

The gray wolf snarled while Jacques slowly looked back up again. "Do not overstep your place, Klein. It is your skill in the kitchen that allows you to remain here, not your medical knowledge." He stood up. "As it so happens, I have medical knowledge of my own. I've been reading some of the new books that have been circulating. As a result, I am very familiar with female hysteria."

"Female hysteria?" Klein barely kept from clenching his fists.

Jacques smirked. "Yes, Klein. It's very common in women after having children, and can go on for years. They act irrational and erratic. Few things can calm them down. Thankfully, alcohol does wonders for a hyperactive personality."

Klein took in a hissing breath. "Is that why she's being given spirits now?"

"Yes," Jacques replied. "She was starting to get hysterical again, so I upped the dosage of her 'medicine.' I'd hate to have to resort to more expensive measures, after all."

"Such as?" Klein gritted.

"Lobotomization," Jacques said calmly, with all the briskness of a man describing the weather. "If the extra spirits don't work, I'm afraid I won't have any other choice. Just as I won't have any other choice but to fire certain employees if they do not learn to let a situation rest."

The gray wolf bared her fangs at Sonja, who shrank back with a quiet whimper.

"Do you understand, Klein?" Jacques asked, his voice low and deadly.

Klein swallowed and nodded, feeling as if he was gulping his heart down in that moment. "Yes, sir."

"Good." Jacques stepped back, an infuriating, self-satisfied look on his face. "You may go."

Klein bowed stiffly before walking out the door. He walked away quickly, knowing that he was close, so close to just turning around and beating that heartless son of a bitch until he stopped moving.

 _Be smart, old boy,_ he told himself firmly. _Be smart and plan what you must do. You must get Willow away, and you cannot let this monster win. Grit your teeth now, and live another day._

He had survived this long playing the part of the genial servant. He could do it for just a bit longer for Willow's sake.

But, what would he do after saving Willow? He couldn't abandon Weiss and Whitley to Jacques any more than he could let Willow keep suffering. Would it even be possible to save all three of them?

He thought about dear Weiss and her soulmate, about poor Whitley and his confused dæmon, about how bleak and horrible the future looked for both of them. _I have to tell them,_ he realized. _I have to tell them my plan and smuggle them out with me. I'd never be able to live with myself otherwise._

As he came to this admittedly-terrifying conclusion, Klein felt suddenly calm. It was the calmness of one who was finally setting himself on the right path after so many years of suppression and self-loathing. It was the confidence of a man who was finally doing what was truly, absolutely, without-a-doubt, the right thing.

 _I'm going to save them all._

 **Don't you just wanna reach into this fic and throttle Jackass right now? If only things were that simple…**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	15. The Wolf's Cruelty REVISED

**So, this is a bit of a first for me. I actually needed to take down this chapter and redo it. I fell behind on my backlog and was in such a hurry to post this, I ended up omitting a bunch of important stuff. I looked back and realized that this chapter was totally rushed, especially considering how important of a chapter it is. Sorry about that. I hope you enjoy the new, improved version.**

The air was beginning to cool. Summer would end soon. Weiss's heart sang with anticipation for the night she would finally complete the soulbond with Yang. For now, however, she had to wait.

She was sitting outside with her mother and brother, sipping tea and eating cakes that she knew had been made by Whitley the previous night. They were little white cakes layered with strawberries and custard. She had Anmut whisper a compliment to Demetria, who relayed it to Whitley. His cheeks colored and the slightest hint of a smile appeared on his face.

The day was oddly pleasant. The three were sitting in a relatively amicable silence. Willow's eyes shined with a rare hint of sobriety that sometimes came between her morning drunkenness and the beginning of her first afternoon drink, which she had yet to partake in.

"You two look wonderful," she said out of the blue, smiling at her children. On her shoulder, a listless Varian blinked slowly. "So young and promising." She took a sip of her tea. "Not like me."

The pleasantness immediately faded, and Weiss and Whitley shifted uncomfortably.

"You both have a chance to break away," Willow continued, oblivious to the change in mood. "You especially, Weiss. Find a nice man far away from here." She paused to sip her tea. _Vanilla and lavender,_ she noted, smiling a little to herself. Klein always remembered her favorites. "The Schnee name is poison. Get rid of it as soon as you can."

Whitley coughed as Demetria turned into an ermine and tilted her head at Varian. "What should I do, Mother?"

"You?" Willow shrugged. "You're the heir to the Company. Once you come into your inheritance, you can do whatever you want!" She took a bite of one of the cakes. "Mm. These really are wonderful cakes…" She washed it down with the tea, enjoying how the flavors complimented each other. "Just promise me one thing, Whitley."

"Yes?"

"When you get married, be kind to your wife." Willow's voice trembled as she reached up to gently stroke Varian, feeling a scar on the back of his neck from where the gray wolf had bitten him too hard. "Even if your marriage is arranged by convenience, even if you don't love her, always be kind to her. Do you understand?"

Whitley's mouth went dry and he felt a lump rising in his throat. "Yes, Mother," he managed to say. "I promise."

Weiss sipped her tea silently, looking from her brother to her mother, feeling a sinking dread in her stomach. She would be gone by the end of fall. She would be safe in the north with Yang and her friends, but what would happen to Whitley and Willow? Would Father take out his anger at Weiss's disappearance on them? Would life become even worse than it already was? Weiss had always known that her mother was unhappy, which was why she drank, but there was something deeper that she just now was beginning to see.

It was obvious when one looked at Varian and compared him to the ermine-formed Demetria. While Demetria's fur was sleek and her eyes bright, Varian looked like he had been thrown against a wall one too many times, and his eyes were dull and listless in a way no mustelid's eyes should be.

The more Weiss watched, the more she realized that she hadn't just been writing off Whitley's suffering during the past few years. She had ignored everyone's troubles in favor of focusing on her own.

 _But is there even a way for me to help them?_ She thought of the coming Gyptian ships, wondering if maybe there was a way to convince them to take two more passengers.

These thoughts remained at the front of Weiss's mind for the rest of the day and into the evening, when a knock at her door caused her to jump. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see Klein on the other side. The butler looked shifty and nervous, near to bursting with important information.

"Follow me," he muttered.

Weiss and Anmut exchanged a confused glance before making their way down the hallway after Klein and Sonja, who kept sniffing the air to make sure no one was coming. They got to Whitley's room, where Klein knocked again.

"May we come in, Master Whitley?" he asked.

Whitley opened the door, looking at Weiss, who simply shrugged. Demetria sat on his shoulder in dove form. _Klein looks different…angry, almost._

Klein hurried to close the door once they entered, then turned to the two Schnee children. "I don't know how to begin, so I'll just say it bluntly: Your mother is dying."

Neither sibling made a noise. Whitley sat down abruptly in his chair while Demetria turned into a moth. Weiss placed a hand over her mouth, feeling a sensation akin to ice water washing through her body. Anmut's head drooped.

"H-How… How do you know?" Weiss gasped. "Is she ill? Why hasn't anyone told us?"

"She's been ill for a long time," Klein sighed. "It's just getting worse now. Your father has decided that Willow isn't drunk or submissive enough for his taste. He's started adding extra spirits to her wine."

Whitley's fists clenched and he gritted his teeth. What hurt the most was that he wasn't even slightly surprised. "I'll kill him," he growled.

"That won't do any good," Klein said. "Trust me, I've considered it." He folded his hands and took a deep breath. "What I'm about to tell you must remain a secret. I know I can trust you, because the three of us already share many secrets."

Whitley and Weiss nodded, already prepared to take whatever Klein was about to say to the grave.

"Weiss will likely understand the implications of this more," Klein continued. "Whitley, I'm prepared to answer any questions you may have. The short of it is that Willow and I are soulmates."

Whitley's jaw dropped. On his shoulder, Demetria swooned. Was this pagan concept spreading everywhere now?!

Weiss, on the other hand, felt only a moment of surprise. "That…makes sense, actually."

Whitley blinked. "How, exactly, does this make sense?" He looked sharply at Klein. "Have you and Mother ever…?"

Klein's face flushed. "Of course not! It would be too risky. Besides, I wouldn't take advantage of her while she's inebriated, which is most of the time, thanks to your father."

Weiss shook her head at Whitley. "Did you really have to ask that?"

"Excuse me for not wanting Klein at the mercy of Father and the Church!" Whitley snapped. "Though, this soulmate nonsense may be enough."

"It isn't nonsense!" Weiss insisted.

"No one has found out for years," Klein said. "I can keep it a secret for a little while longer. Back to the topic at hand… Due to my bond with Willow, I know the full extent of your father's abuse toward her."

Weiss and Whitley exchanged a tense look, their faces mirroring the other's growing dread. "I mean, I figured he hit her the way he does us," Whitley murmured.

"It's far worse," Klein sighed. "He holds Varian, squeezing him sometimes when he's displeased. He forces Willow to caress that filthy wolf. He…forces himself on her and hurts her during the few times she's sober enough to verbally refuse him."

Weiss felt bile rising in her throat. She had always known that this was the case. She had been told on several occasions that, when she married, she would have to offer her body and dæmon to her husband on their wedding night, that she belonged to him without question.

Whitley gasped aloud. "He doesn't!"

"He certainly does," Klein growled. "And it goes one step further! Jacques has every intention of lobotomizing Willow if the alcohol doesn't keep her mellow enough for his tastes."

Weiss felt dizzy for a moment and had to sit down on the edge of Whitley's bed. Lobotomization was a relatively new procedure, but one Weiss was very familiar with. Ever since it was first advertised as a way to "calm down hysterical female emotions," Weiss did as much research as she could, either by eavesdropping at parties or sneaking into the library and reading the newer medical journals.

Essentially, the brain was cut in such a way so that a person's mental defects were cured or eliminated, but at the cost of all intellect and personality, making the person in question little more than a walking doll. Weiss thought of all the times she had been compared to a doll as a little girl and trembled, wondering if her mother had been told the same thing.

Whitley was shaking with rage. His mother was listless and distant now, true, but she still had a personality. She had her own thoughts and words, even if they were often slurred with alcohol. But a lobotomy would completely destroy her!

Once, Jacques had taken Whitley to meet a business colleague, who had a daughter Whitley's age. He remembered talking aimlessly with her, having no real interest. Then, a woman had walked by, a strange ghost of a woman whose eyes seemed to look through everything they rested on. When Whitley asked the girl about the woman, she had gotten very quiet before admitting that the woman was her mother, and that her father had "fixed" her.

Whitley would kill Jacques before seeing his mother "fixed" in the same way!

"Your mother's life is a living hell, which she dulls with alcohol." Klein took a deep breath. "Now, however, she intends to kill herself."

Whitley stood up from his chair. "No!"

"Lower your voice!" Weiss hissed, though she also felt close to screaming. Once again, she felt no surprise, only grim understanding.

Whitley bit his lip, which had started trembling. Tears leaked down his face. Demetria turned into a dove to comfort him, but found herself unable to take the form of a white dove, instead turning into a gray mourning dove.

Klein nodded gravely, pausing to check outside and make sure no one had been drawn by Whitley's shout. "Yes, and I frankly don't blame her. I managed to convince her to wait until spring, so that I may have time to get her away from here."

There was a pause as the siblings digested this.

"Get her away?" Whitley finally said. "As in…run away?"

"Yes," Klein replied. "And I hope to take the two of you with me. Your father is an abusive madman, and he will only continue to make your lives terrible. You're so young still, with so many years ahead of you. I would never forgive myself if I left you behind, trapped and potentially on the path to become as desolate and hopeless as Willow now is. If we go north, all of us may heal over time and have the freedom to be who we want to be."

He turned to Whitley. "Master Whitley, I know that you don't actually want to take over the Company. Even if you endured your father's abuse until you came into your inheritance, you wouldn't be truly happy."

"No," Whitley admitted, even as he fought his way through the numb shock of all these new revelations. "I'd have to marry a woman I feel nothing for and put on a mask every day." He looked at Weiss. "Do you remember the charity ball a few days ago?"

"Yes, what about it?" That was the night Whitley had come to Weiss asking to bake with him, sporting several ugly bruises.

"The reason I was injured that night is that Father…caught me in the garden with someone." Whitley stared at the ground. "A _male_ someone. It wasn't anything serious. We both found each other attractive and have fooled around a few times before, but we just weren't careful enough this time."

Weiss's heart sank. She could only imagine Jacques's anger in response something like that. Several of her nightmares consisted of what her father would do to her and Yang if he ever found out about their soulbond. "Was the other young man okay?"

"I hope so," Whitley muttered. "Father may well ruin his family because of this…" He took a shuddering, regretful breath. "I'm like you, Weiss. I'm attracted to people I shouldn't be attracted to." He shook his head helplessly. "I'm wrong in so many ways, and it hurts having to hide it all the time, and…and…" He covered his face as more tears started to fall.

Weiss hurried to her brother's side and hugged him tightly. "Whitley, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you! Nothing! You deserve to love whoever makes you happy, just like I do." She drew back and looked into his tearstained face, wondering once again how she could have been so blind over the years.

After taking several breaths, and placing her hand on Anmut for comfort, Weiss revealed her own secret for the second time. "Whitley, you asked me before how I got my scar."

Whitley wiped his eyes and drew back to look his sister in the face. "Did Father do it?" he asked, his voice tremulous.

"No," Weiss said. "But, he made me feel like an ugly creature for years afterward…" She then told Whitley and Klein about her experiences as a child in the Faunus District, about how her father had beaten her afterward, while the filthy touch of a man's hands on her dæmon was still fresh, while she was still bleeding from that cut. She told her about how she had to wear makeup every day in order to be seen as presentable, about how often Jacques would remind her of how ugly she was underneath it.

By the end of it, both Klein and Whitley looked ready to march down the hallway and murder Jacques in an instant. Klein's eyes looked almost red in the low lamplight.

Sonja growled softly. "How could we have been so blind?"

Anmut shook his head. "We acknowledged our own pain, and accepted it as our reality, not looking any further."

Demetria ruffled her feathers nervously. "If nothing else, we have to help Willow and Varian."

Weiss nodded in agreement with the dæmons before turning back to Klein. "Do you have a plan?" she asked. "Because, if you don't, I do."

Klein's eyes widened with surprise. "You do?"

Weiss shifted guiltily. "I've been making plans with Yang and Jaune. We intend to go north on a Gyptian ship. Pyrrha has been able to contact them."

Whitley looked at Weiss, feeling shocked and a little betrayed. "You were planning on leaving all along?"

"Yes." Weiss placed a hand on Anmut's brow, drawing strength from her dæmon as she confessed. "I knew I couldn't be happy unless I could be with Yang. I wasn't about to let Father marry me off to the son of one of his colleagues, who would own me for the rest of my life." She looked apologetically at Whitley. "This was before we started speaking, before I really began to understand what you've been suffering." She turned to Klein. "I will communicate with Pyrrha as soon as possible. Clearly, we _all_ need to leave this place."

"When will the ships come?" Klein asked, his heart pounding, his entire body feeling light. For the first time in ages, he felt something akin to hope.

"At the end of fall," Weiss said. "Until then, we need to prepare what money and supplies we can. I'm sure we can all sneak out through the cellar."

"The end of fall?" Whitley gasped. "Barely over three months, and we're all just going to up and leave? Just like that?"

"Do you not want to go?" Weiss asked.

Whitley hesitated. All of a sudden, he was being offered freedom, something he had never dreamed of. Why did he feel so scared?

Demetria nudged his cheek. "We must." She flew from his shoulder, taking the form of a fox. "We have to be brave, or we'll regret it forever."

Anmut nodded. "Well spoken."

Klein checked the door once more, then turned to the siblings, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. "Let us begin preparations, then."

…..

Yang felt sore all over. Her ribs hurt. Her legs hurt. Her fists hurt. Even her eyelids hurt, somehow. What the hell caused eyelids to hurt?!

She was lying in her bed, Yong Shi's warm, bulky, comfortable form at her back. When she shifted uncomfortably, he put a large but gentle paw on her abdomen, purring soothingly.

"We did good, huh?" Yang murmured, putting a hand over the tan, dusty paw. They had just returned from another series of brutal, tiring brawls.

"We did," Yong Shi affirmed, stretching his own aching limbs. "We have to keep working hard if we want to support ourselves and Weiss."

"Yeah. Pyrrha said her friends could give us jobs, but I don't want to leave anything to chance." Yang let out a yawn, casting an appraising eye over her room and her admittedly-dirty bed. "Hm. We'll have to clean things up a bit in here." Cleaning oneself and one's belongings thoroughly was a time-consuming, difficult task when one lived in the poorer districts. Still, Yang knew she would gladly do so to prepare for what was coming.

"For when Weiss comes to establish the bond?"

"I mean, I don't know if we'll actually need the bed…" Yang blushed as several thoughts ran through her head. She had hinted at her intentions when she first invited Weiss to complete the bond, and she was pretty sure the reaction had been positive. Still, it was very possible that Weiss wouldn't be ready, and Yang was perfectly okay with that.

 _But I really, really, REALLY hope she is ready._

Yong Shi rumbled in agreement. Both he and Yang were feeling a definite buildup within them, a sense of frustration with the too-quick hours with their soulmate, with the kisses that they all wished would last longer, with the anticipation between meetings, which sometimes went on for days. Yang couldn't wait until they were up north and could be together all the time.

"God, I love her so much," she sighed. It was hard to believe that someone she had only known for a few months could mean so much to her. Already, life without Weiss was impossible to imagine. Yang snuggled close to Yong Shi, allowing her feelings for Weiss to overwhelm her, hoping her soulmate was sensing them through their onesided bond.

Soon, the bond would be completed. Soon, Yang would know Weiss every bit as well as Weiss knew her. And, if Weiss wanted to, they would come together in more ways than one. It would be a preview of the freedom and pleasure that would be theirs for the rest of their lives.

There was so much to dream of, and so much to hope for.

 **Sorry about that, again. I just couldn't leave the chapter as it was when I realized what I had forgotten to add. See you on Friday!**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	16. The Swan's Joy

**Hello, my lovelies! We're back with one of several moments you've been waiting for! Strap yourselves in for some epic Freezerburn goodness. Also, be warned that there is a Lime in this chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

The leaves on the trees were beginning to blush in infinite shades of scarlet, brown, and gold. Each breath of spicy, cool air seemed to invigorate the very blood, making it sing as it traveled to the farthest reaches of the body, bringing that electric feeling with it wherever it went.

Of course, it could have just been Weiss and Yang feeling that way.

It was the first day of fall, the day Weiss had agreed to sneak out to meet her soulmate and complete the soulbond, the day that Taiyang would be off hunting and Ruby would be staying with Sun, Blake, and Ilia. It would be a night of many firsts.

Weiss knew, after all, exactly what Yang was hoping for. Her soulmate had said when she had first invited Weiss that their time alone could mean whatever Weiss wanted it to. She probably didn't know that, through the onesided bond, what she wanted it to mean was being felt and seen in Weiss's mind with perfect clarity.

Sometimes, Weiss would suddenly be struck with a thought that made her blush, a thought that hadn't originated in her own mind. More than once, she woke up from dreams that would likely give a priest a heart attack upon hearing about just one of them.

Truthfully, Weiss wanted it every bit as much as Yang did. She felt it in the way her body tingled after those dreams, in the way Anmut ached for Yong Shi's touch, in the way she ached for Yang. The intensity of her feelings both terrified and excited her.

The first of fall fell on yet another charity ball, of course. Weiss tried several times to flag down Klein and tell him of her plans, but to no avail. It was quite the busy evening. Eventually, she took Whitley aside and explained where she would be as soon as the ball ended, asking him to tell Klein the next time he saw him.

Whitley understood, not making a single crack about soulmates this time around. "If Ruby's there, say hi for me, please."

Ruby wouldn't be there. It would just be Weiss and Yang, but Whitley didn't necessarily have to know that. "If she's there, I will," Weiss promised.

As soon as Weiss was dismissed, she hurried to her room to change into her travel clothes. After a moment of consideration, she folded up her nightgown and put it into her satchel, feeling her cheeks heating up as she did so.

She walked down the hallway, glancing around to make sure no one was following her, slipped into the cellar, and went out the trap door. After making sure the fence post was secure, Weiss had to keep herself from flat-out running to the Xiao Long house.

"Patience, Yang," Anmut murmured, though his wings were quivering with anticipation.

When they got to the house, Weiss tapped on the door. Less than a second passed before it opened, revealing a beaming Yang on the other side. Weiss couldn't help it. As soon as she stepped over the threshold, her arms were around Yang's shoulders, and she was kissing her soulmate deeply.

Yang made a brief noise of surprise before quickly recovering, her arms wrapping around Weiss as she pulled her further into the house, closing the door with her foot. She moaned as she pressed Weiss as close to her as she could.

At their feet, Yong Shi and Anmut had started playfully wrestling. A large, rough tongue smoothed down white feathers while an orange beak combed through a thick mane.

Weiss brought one hand up to brush through Yang's hair, a gesture she knew her soulmate vastly enjoyed, and was rewarded by a rush of pleasure through their dæmons that melded with her own. Desire was making her giddy, and she barely noticed the fact that her soulmate's hair was even silkier than usual. She smelled the slightest hint of a citrusy scent, and realized that Yang must have gone to a greater effort than usual to be as clean as possible. Yes, it was very clear what Yang was hoping for.

When breath became short, the two moved back, though only by the barest inch. They could feel each other's breaths heating up their already-warm cheeks.

"Do you," Weiss ventured. "Want to take this elsewhere?" Her blush deepened when she realized just how forward that sounded. "If you're ready, I mean. I don't want you to think I'm rushing into anything, but-"

Yang cut her off with another kiss, her heart practically throwing itself against her ribs. This was it! The bond would be completed, and she was going to give her soulmate the best night of her life. _Because you deserve that,_ she thought fiercely, hoping that the bond would get her words through, or at least the feelings behind them. _You deserve to feel loved every damn second!_

Weiss hugged Yang tightly, feeling the love between them pulsing like a third heartbeat. How had she gone her whole life without this?

The two were barely able to separate enough to walk the short distance to Yang's room. The same went for the dæmons, who kept pouncing and tussling with each other the entire way there.

They closed the door and sat down on the bed, their chests heaving as they tried to fill their lungs with air. Just as they leaned in to kiss again, a gentle honk from Anmut reminded them of the true purpose of tonight.

Anmut approached Yang, his feathers ruffled and his eyes bright. This was what he had been waiting for from the very moment he had seen Yang in that fighting ring, from the moment he first started aching for the hand of the human who would be by his Weiss's side forever. Even then, however, he hesitated.

Yang looked at Weiss, seeing the shadow that was starting to pass over her face. "Do you not want to go through with it, after all?" She tried to quash down the disappointment she was feeling, not wanting Weiss to be aware of it. She had given her the option to never complete the bond, after all, and she was going to stick to it.

Weiss shook her head. "I do, Yang. I really, _really_ do. I just…" She placed a hand over her scarred eye. "What if I ruin it?"

"Ruin it?" Yang blinked, uncomprehending.

"What if I'm not able to separate this from what happened to me when I was a child?" Weiss asked. "What if our bond becomes tainted because of my memories?"

"Hey." Yang took Weiss's hands, holding them firmly in hers. "Listen to me. What happened to you was horrible, but it'll never ruin our bond. When I let you touch Yong Shi, I opened all of myself to you, so you gotta know I'm not perfect, right? I can be loud. I can be too angry. I can lash out. I have bad memories of my own. They're just part of who I am."

She looked at Anmut, who was shaking with suppressed want. "You're you because of all the good and bad thing that happened to you. I'm bonding with _all_ of you, so it's impossible for anything about you to ruin that. I'm here to help you through whatever happens next, whether it's old memories or new challenges. I love you, Weiss."

Tears welled up in Weiss's eyes as Yang pulled her into a hug. She pressed as close to her soulmate as she could, wanting to surround herself with that comforting warmth. Yang's love emanated through their dæmons and enfolded her completely. _Yang deserves to feel that,_ she thought. _Regardless of my fears._ She drew back, taking a shuddering breath, and nodded.

Yang turned back to Anmut, who moved just a little closer to her, bowing his head again. Her hand shook as she took in the sheer enormity of what was happening. The past few months of getting to know Weiss, of learning her darkest secrets, of preparing for a future that neither of them had ever dared to hope for, all led up to this moment.

Her fingertips just barely brushed the smooth feathers on Anmut's brow.

Weiss gasped as she felt a ghost of Yang's touch on her own head, followed by something else deep within her. For the briefest moment, she felt the tiniest stirring of fear, because she was remembering that time in the Faunus District, that time someone had touched her dæmon and shattered her innocence.

But, just as quickly as it came, the fear was gone. Yes, Anmut was being touched, but it wasn't by a filthy, foreign hand. It wasn't by a cruel person seeking to hurt Weiss. It was Yang. Her touch was gentle and burning, like flames licking at the depths of Weiss's heart, melting any ice, temporarily burning any negative emotions within her, filling the empty spaces with unconditional love and acceptance.

Yang closed her eyes as Anmut pressed his head firmly against her palm. In that moment, she felt Weiss's fear, her love, her hope, and her joy. She knelt down on the floor and placed one hand on Anmut's back while tracing her other hand down his long, slender neck, loving the silky feel of the pearly feathers.

Weiss moaned as Yang's tentative touch turned into a loving caress that swept through her and settled as a burning heat in her chest. Half dizzy, she held out her arms to Yong Shi, who immediately padded over and placed his head in her lap. She combed her fingers through his mane and kissed his face, her body shaking with the force of his purr.

With each moment that passed, Weiss felt herself becoming more and more exposed to Yang. It was like her very essence was taking the form of a flower bud, and each touch to her dæmon caused another petal to gently unfurl, revealing not the silky-white lily most people would likely expect, but a strange, mottled thing covered with blemishes as well as beauty. She should have felt ashamed, but she only felt the purest sense of relief, for she could sense Yang's love deepening with each revelation, each emotion, each flaw that passed between their dæmons.

Yang held Anmut tightly, feeling practically weightless, as if she, Weiss, and their dæmons were casting off their bodies and merging into one being, one being filled with love for every aspect of itself, one being that grew stronger and stronger as its separate parts merged.

For the first time, she truly understood the depth of Weiss's love for her, her past and present fears, just how much these past few months had meant to her, and how Yang, Jaune, Pyrrha, and everyone else had likely saved her life with their support and friendship. Once again, Yang found herself feeling deeply ashamed as she remembered just how judgmental she had been toward Weiss during those first few days, how she had almost driven her soulmate away.

Weiss immediately felt this shame, and hugged Yong Shi even tighter, assuring both of them that she had forgiven Yang long ago. She also expressed the hope that Yang had forgiven her for her previous cowardice.

Yang stroked Anmut's neck. _You were never a coward!_ She thought this fiercely, assuring her soulmate that there was nothing to forgive, nothing to worry about. They were together, and Yang would help Weiss through every fear, every moment of doubt, every trial that awaited them.

Weiss realized that she was crying, her tears wetting the fur on Yong Shi's face as he continued to press close to her, reassuring her of his devotion. She drew back and touched her lips once more to his forehead. Then, she turned to look at Yang once again.

Her soulmate looked positively radiant, as if a golden aura of sunlight was illuminating her from within. Tear-filled lavender eyes gazed at Weiss as if she was the most wonderful thing in the world. There was also a fire in those eyes, a fire of deep want and a pressing physical desire that had been manifesting for weeks.

Weiss blushed as she fully recognized the equally-strong need within her own body. She and Yang were bound by their souls, by their dæmons. It was the deepest connection that two people could share. Yet, they both wanted more.

Gently, Yang released Anmut from her embrace and got back on the bed with Weiss, closing the distance between them without a word. He cupped her soulmate's face, taking a moment to savor the sight of those mist-blue eyes slowly closing, of that small smile widening in anticipation, before eagerly claiming Weiss's lips.

Burning, burning pleasure swept through Weiss as she returned Yang's kiss, as she was utterly consumed by those hot lips, by those rough, calloused hands that explored her body in a way they had always held back from doing before. For the first time, they didn't have to break away. They didn't have to look over their shoulders to make sure that the wrong person hadn't seen them. For the time being, this didn't have to end!

One cool hand came up to caress Yang's cheek while the other tangled in her golden hair, fingers combing through the silken strands. In a moment of daring, Weiss gently tugged at the roots, which evoked a low growl in both Yang and Yong Shi. A delicious tremor shook her entire body at the sound.

Yong Shi, meanwhile, had practically pounced on Anmut, nuzzling the swan's feathers and licking them with his rough tongue. He purred as he curled himself protectively around the smaller dæmon.

Anmut's neck arched as he stroked Yong Shi's sandy neck. He let out small honks of delight as a heavy forepaw rested carefully on his back.

Yang's hand moved downward, toward the bottom of Weiss's dress, where she paused briefly. When she felt Weiss's overwhelming consent flooding her through the bond, she eagerly pressed her hand to her soulmate's smooth leg, traveling upward toward her thigh.

Weiss broke the kiss with a gasp that morphed halfway through into a breathy moan. She felt like she was burning all over, and Yang's hand was the hottest brand of all. Fumbling a little, she slipped her hands under her soulmate's shirt, feeling the hard muscles of her abdomen.

Yang groaned as Weiss's soft hands pressed to her skin. She withdrew her hand from Weiss's thigh and started working on the back of the dress, smiling as Weiss immediately started squirming out of it. When she felt tugs at her shirt, she readily broke the kiss to take it off herself.

The rest of their clothes were shed quickly, and they took a moment to catch their breaths and take in the sight of each other.

Weiss had to resist the urge to cover herself as Yang's gaze swept over her. For a moment, her strict upbringing threatened to rear its ugly head. She was committing a sin! She was about to have sex out of wedlock, and with another woman! Weirdly enough, this double taboo only made her more excited once the fear faded. Perhaps it was because she knew this was right. She knew this was natural. She knew that they were meant to be like this. Every emotion that passed through their bond reaffirmed that. So, she kept her hands down and let Yang see her. At the same time, she took in her soulmate's beauty. Sun-tanned skin, muscular legs, soft, golden hair covering the legs like a bird's downy feathers.

 _You're beautiful,_ Weiss thought, moving closer to press her lips to Yang's, placing one hand on her chest to feel that powerful heartbeat.

 _Damn,_ Yang thought numbly as her senses were overwhelmed with cool, silky, pale skin, a perfectly slender form, and unbound white hair that cascaded down Weiss's back like a waterfall. _Damn, damn, daaaaaamn. How did I get this lucky?!_

Weiss giggled at Yang's thoughts. "My, my, you're quite the poet," she murmured coyly into her ear.

Yang grinned, her cheeks flushing. "Roses are red, violets are-Mmph!" She was cut off when Weiss pulled her in for another kiss, effectively shutting her up.

Yong Shi and Anmut's play had become more passionate, with the lion biting at Anmut's neck. The swan shivered, but felt no fear, gladly giving himself over to his soulmate. Him and Weiss. Yong Shi and Yang. They were together, now, and always would be.

….

Weiss and Yang lay together on the bed, Weiss in her nightgown, Yang in her shirt. Weiss was nestled against Yang's front, leaving sleepy kisses on her soulmate's throat. Yang's hands wandered lazily up and down Weiss's back, occasionally tracing her hip.

"I should probably go soon," Weiss murmured, though she really didn't want to.

"Probably," Yang replied, making no move to let her go. "I love you."

"I love you too." Weiss moved up enough to kiss Yang's cheek. "I wish we could just go north right now."

"Yeah." Yang yawned. "Hm. Think we'll be able to do this on the Gyptian ship?"

"Absolutely not!" Weiss huffed. "Do you take me for an exhibitionist?!"

Yang burst out laughing at Weiss's scandalized tone. "Well, I can hope, can't I?"

"Stop being so lewd!" Weiss grumbled, turning her head away.

"I don't know. You were being pretty lewd yourself a few minutes ago." Yang snickered, peppering kisses to Weiss's neck until her stubborn frown gave way to a smile.

"You are impossible," Weiss sighed, pecking Yang's lips.

"You know you love it," Yang teased, nipping lightly at Weiss's ear.

"Careful! I still have to go home." Weiss reluctantly extricated herself from Yang's embrace and sat up. "Until next time, then?"

"Yeah, okay." Yang sat up, kissing Weiss one more time. "Want me to walk you back?"

"No, you should get some sleep. Don't you have a fight tomorrow?"

"True. Do you have Whitley's dagger?"

"Of course." Weiss picked up her cloak. The dagger was in the same pocket as the flower Pyrrha had given her.

"Okay, then. Be safe. Love you!"

"I love you too." Weiss stood up and approached the dæmons. She wrapped her arms around Yong Shi, kissing him one more time as he rumbled sleepily.

Yang approached Anmut, touching his head once more before stepping back. She felt a slight tug in her heart as her soulmate walked away from her, but she could also feel the bond's strength. No matter how far they were from each other, she and Weiss would still be together. She could feel everything about Weiss, and nothing was muted as she drew further and further away.

Weiss felt like she was walking on air as she went down the path to the Manor. Again, Anmut had to sternly remind her to pay attention, though he was feeling quite giddy himself.

"I've never been happier," she said, half giggling as she talked to her dæmon. "Just think! We'll be gone by the end of the season, all of us!" She, Whitley, and Willow would all be free. She was sure of it. At that moment, everything felt possible.

That feeling of elation continued as they went through the hedge, past the fence, and into the cellar. It abruptly fizzled and died as they emerged from the inner doors.

On the other side, one hand firmly grasping Whitley's ear, was Jacques.

Demetria was in the form of a fox, her fur sporting several shades of gray and brown as she snarled at the gray wolf, who held her firmly in her large jaws, shaking her every time she struggled.

Jacques's eyes seemed to cut right through Weiss's soul, carving out any and all hope and pulverizing it into dust. "Well, now," he growled. "What do we have here?"

 **I bet you all thought I was gonna end this on a happy note! Come on, guys. You should know better by now.**

 **I'm really glad to have this chapter out, as the scene of Yang and Weiss bonding and making love right after was one I had pictured very early on when I was first coming up with this fic. It's funny. I used to feel weirded out just implying sex between characters when writing. I think I can justly blame the majority of YA novels and the god-awful way they portray it. Not saying all of them do. Just most of the ones I've read. Supernatural Romance YA Hell is not something I want to revisit anytime soon… *shudders***

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	17. The Fox's Defiance

**Greetings once again, my lovelies! Are you ready to hate Jacques even more than you already did? Ready to see what exactly went down in the Manor after Weiss was gone? Well, here you go!**

 **Trigger Warning: There is physical abuse throughout this chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

 _A few hours earlier_

Whitley felt tired after the ball, tired and grumpy. That was a usual thing, of course, but the absence of his…friend? Admirer? What was the word? Either way, his absence made him feel both guilty and a bit forlorn. While he and the boy in question had never held any illusions of pursuing a real relationship, their sneaked kisses and private discussions had been welcome distractions during otherwise boring affair of being a smiling face at one of the many shallow events they had to attend.

Now, he wasn't sure if he'd ever see that boy again. All he could do was hope that Jacques hadn't done anything to ruin the family.

He went straight to the kitchen once he was sure that he was dismissed for the night, intent on eating some leftover sweets. He nodded at Klein as he entered.

"Rough night, Master Whitley?" the butler asked, noting the grumpy look on the boy's face.

"Annoying is a better word for it," Whitley grumbled, picking up an éclair while Demetria pecked at crumbs in mourning dove form. "Oh, Weiss is meeting Yang tonight. She asked me to tell you."

Klein froze. "I beg your pardon?"

Whitley blinked at the sudden fear in Klein's tone. "She's done this before."

"Yes, but she always informs me beforehand!"

"I guess she was in a hurry?"

"Has she left yet?"

"I think so." Whitley frowned. "Why, is something-?"

"Go and check her room!" Klein instructed. "If she's there, tell her not to go until I fetch her!" With that, he made for the cellar as fast as he could, Sonja at his heels.

 _Please, don't let him be there. Please, don't let him be there. Please- Oh no…_ Klein froze as he saw Jacques's mousey servant emerging from the cellar, looking very much like a cat that had just stolen the finest of creams from the pantry. On his shoulder, his rat dæmon was leering down at Sonja with a sharp-toothed grin.

"Well, hello!" the servant said, his oily voice dripping with fake friendliness. "Fancy seeing you here, Klein. Then again, maybe I'm not surprised. You always had too big of a soft spot for those brats."

Klein hurried to regain his composure. Perhaps, the servant hadn't seen anything and was just making assumptions. He certainly wouldn't say anything to confirm them. "I don't know what you mean!"

"Don't you?" the man's pencil-thin eyebrows went up. "Let's see what Master Schnee thinks of his little daughter sneaking out."

"Wait!" Klein grabbed his arm. "Do you really want to bother him with such a rash accusation against his daughter?"

"It's not an accusation," the servant growled. "I saw it with my own eyes."

"It must have been one of the maids!"

"Fine." The mousey man folded his arms. "Let's go to her room, then. If she's there, I'll apologize to you for the inconvenience and be on my way."

The two walked down the hallway, the mousey servant taking long strides, Klein trying desperately to think of something, anything he could do. He could knock the man out, but that would only confirm his accusations and lead to Jacques finding out later. He could offer a bribe, but what could he give that Jacques couldn't?

With every moment that passed, he cursed his stupidity. Had he even bothered to tell Weiss about Jacques's servant frequenting the cellar? He may have informed her and Whitley about the wine spiking, but had he said just how often it was happening? He just couldn't remember. If Weiss got in trouble because of his lack of warning…

As they approached the room, Klein stopped the servant short of yanking the door open. "See here!" he snapped. "There's no call to be bursting into a lady's room like that." Standing up straight, knowing he was only prolonging the inevitable, he knocked slowly on the door three times. "Mistress Weiss, if I may come in?"

He pushed the door open, again being as slow about it as he could without being too suspicious, his heart sinking lower and lower.

Weiss was in her bed. Anmut was lying on his usual nest of pillows near the nightstand. One dark eye flickered open, regarding Klein and the other servant questioningly.

Klein barely suppressed a sigh of relief. "Forgive the intrusion, Mistress," he said, bowing his head slightly before closing the door. "You see?" he said triumphantly to the servant. "Now, let's forget this nonsense and go to bed."

The servant looked slightly shaken, and a bit disappointed. He cast a doubtful glance toward the cellar. He knew he had seen a swan dæmon. Could it have actually been one of the maids? Did one of them have a white goose dæmon he had forgotten about?

These doubts continued as Klein walked him back to the servants' quarters. This servant had his own room, courtesy of Jacques. He nodded politely to Klein, apologizing for his hastiness, before going back to bed.

Of course, this servant wasn't a dumb man. Once Klein left, it only took a bit of thinking before his dæmon whispered in his ear: "There's one other who could have a swan."

….

Whitley stayed under the covers for several more minutes, just in case his father's servant doubled back to check on the room again. He could feel Demetria straining with the effort of maintaining the form of a swan.

"Just a little longer, love," he muttered.

Demetria crept to the door, listening at the crack. She didn't hear anyone.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Whitley threw the covers back and sat up. He had been checking Weiss's room, as Klein had suggested, but hadn't left right away. Klein was obviously concerned that Weiss had been seen leaving, so Whitley had been contemplating ways to cover for his sister. When he heard the Klein loudly talking to his father's servant, he had quickly gotten into the bed, tucked his knees in, and had Demetria assume the form of a swan in Anmut's nest.

His dæmon was obviously relieved when she took on her mouse form and was given her usual place on Whitley's shoulder. "I don't think I can do that again," she whispered.

"Do you think you're settling?" Whitley stroked Demetria's soft fur. Now that he knew that they would be escaping Father, he was no longer terrified of what form his dæmon would take. She did make a cute little mouse.

Her tiny nose twitched. "Soon. I think it'll happen very soon."

"That's wonderful!" he whispered, and he was surprised at just how much he meant it.

The two hurried back to their room. Unfortunately, they didn't hurry fast enough.

Striding down the hall to intercept him was none other than Jacques Schnee, flanked by two of his bodyguards, his mousey servant trailing behind. One of the bodyguards' large, brown dogs snapped in Demetria's direction, causing the mouse to shake.

Whitley felt fear unlike anything he had ever experienced before. Jacques's face was a mask of pure rage, eyes sharp enough to pierce through skin like a needle, a scowl that was closer to a snarl than the expression his gray wolf bore, and fists clenched, ready to strike a blow at whoever was closest to him.

In three short strides, Jacques closed the distance between himself and his son. "Where is your sister?" he growled.

"I don't know!" Whitley lied.

Smack!

Whitley couldn't suppress a yelp as the force of Jacques's hand caused him to stumble to the side. He was vaguely aware of one of the bodyguards hurrying past him toward Weiss's room. _Dammit, dammit, dammit!_ He tried to right himself, only for his father to grab the front of his shirt.

"How long has she been sneaking out?" Jacques asked, his voice low and deadly.

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

Smack!

Tears stung Whitley's eyes, but he refused to let them fall. Instead, he scrunched his eyes shut and took a breath.

"What is she doing?"

"I don't know," Whitley grumbled.

Smack!

Whitley's cheeks were already numb, so this one didn't hurt as much. He was ready for a beating, resigned to it, even. Maybe the pain would distract him from the crushing realization that the plans he, Klein, and Weiss had made might well be ruined, that he really would be stuck in this hellish manor forever.

"Unhand him!"

Whitley's heart sank as he heard Klein's voice. He opened his eyes to see the kindly butler who had saved him from despair so many times. His mustache was bristling, his eyes were red, and his fists were clenched. At his side, Sonja was growling, showing her tiny, sharp teeth, her white and brown-patched fur standing on end.

Jacques's eyes narrowed. "Klein. Your timing is impeccable. I understand that you are a party to these outings."

The bodyguard returned, shaking his head once. Weiss wasn't there.

Jacques nodded. "You are relieved of your duties, Klein." He glanced at his bodyguard. "Escort him off the property."

"No!" Whitley shouted.

Smack! 

"I will kill you if you touch him one more time!" Klein snarled. This was it. All of his anger, helplessness, and desperation was bursting from him at once. Seeing a bruised Whitley in Jacques's hands was just too much to bear! In the past, just seeing the bruises after the fact had been enough to drive Klein into a frenzy. Now, he was truly ready to kill this bastard.

One of the dog dæmons lunged at Sonja, who jumped to the side, snapping at the larger creature's leg. Klein punched the incoming bodyguard, wincing as this caused a sharp pain in his wrist. He really wasn't made for physical combat. This became abundantly clear when the guard responded with a violent headbutt that left him winded and gasping for air.

"Klein!" Whitley shouted, struggling to get out of his father's grip.

A scream cut through the hallway, a scream unlike anything anyone there had ever heard before. It was a hoarse roar, a drunken cry, and a sob from the deepest depths of the heart, all rolled into one.

Everyone turned just in time to see Willow Schnee rushing toward the brawl and leaping onto the bodyguard that had punched Klein. At the same time, Varian scurried to the gray wolf, sinking his sharp fangs into her leg.

This sudden pain shocked Jacques enough to drop Whitley, who jumped back just in time to see the wolf's jaws closing on Varian's squirming form. The ermine was writhing and screeching. Willow gasped and fell from the bodyguard's back.

"Leave them alone, you bastard!" White-hot anger flooded Whitley's veins as he saw his mother's dæmon being savaged by that awful wolf, as the two bodyguards closed in on Klein, beating him mercilessly, as he realized that whatever pain Klein or Willow was feeling was magnified through their soulbond.

He would not let his father cause them any pain, not while he was still standing! With a cry, he sprang forward and punched his father square in the jaw. At the same time, Demetria turned into a white fox and leaped at the gray wolf's face, biting at her ear and scratching at her eyes with small but sharp claws.

The gray fox snarled, throwing Varian into a nearby wall, stunning him and causing Willow to collapse fully to the ground. She then engaged fully with Demetria, who planted herself firmly between the wolf and the ermine.

"Stop this, immediately!" Jacques snapped at Whitley, not even reaching a hand up to touch his new bruise. "Control yourself! You are the heir to the Schnee family name!"

"Who cares?" Whitley snarled. "Our name is garbage, anyway!"

As father and son glared into each other's eyes, their canine dæmons stared each other down, pure hatred radiating from their gazes, seeping through their veins, and dripping from their teeth. Demetria felt a shudder go through her. Her fur darkened with the rage she was feeling, turning the blue-gray color of a bruise. Streaks and patches of dark brown joined the gray, mottling her coat until only a few traces of white remained on her muzzle, belly, paws, and tail.

She took a step forward, snapping menacingly at the air. In that moment, she knew that she finally was herself. This was the form she would hold for the rest of her life. This was the kind of dæmon she was. This was the kind of person Whitley was.

Whitley's heart hardened as his dæmon settled, and he lunged for his father once more, only to be physically restrained by one of the bodyguards. Klein was on the floor, his face a bloody mess. Willow was unconscious. The mousey servant had fled down the hall, and was just now peeking around a corner.

Jacques was quick to regain his composure, now that he was no longer being attacked. He ordered one bodyguard to throw Klein off the grounds and leave him in a ditch somewhere. The other was to carry Willow back to her room and stand guard in front of the door. The servant was asked to call a doctor. It seemed that Willow would have to be institutionalized as soon as possible.

Whitley struggled as his father held him, but was unable to get away. The gray wolf also held Demetria firmly in her jaws.

"Now," Jacques said, his voice as calm as a still sea of venom. "Let us go wait for your sister to return."

It was over an hour after that before Weiss returned. During this time, Jacques stayed perfectly still in front of the door, Whitley's ear grasped firmly in his hand. Whitley soon gave up on trying to squirm into a less painful position, and just closed his eyes and got himself used to the twisting pain that consumed his entire skull. As he stood there, he had plenty of time to worry.

What would happen to Klein? What if bandits found him before he woke up? What if he had been beaten so badly, he would bleed out anyway?

What did Father mean by "institutionalize?" He couldn't be planning on lobotomizing Willow for just one incident, right?

What would he do to Weiss when she returned? 

When Weiss finally emerged from the cellar door, Whitley saw a brief, fleeting shadow of joy on her face, which made the crushing realization of their father's presence even more heartbreaking to watch.

"Well, now," Jacques growled. "What do we have here?"

"It wasn't me, Weiss!" Whitley called desperately. "I tried to- OW!" He yelped as Jacques twisted his ear again.

Seeing her brother being abused right in front of her was enough to snap Weiss out of her shock. "Unhand him!" She lunged for her father, only to be grabbed from behind. She elbowed the man's stomach, trying to struggle out, but was quickly restrained by another.

Anmut spread his wings and stuck his neck out, rushing at the gray wolf, but was shoved aside by a large dog dæmon. The swan hissed and pecked at the dog's eyes, but was pinned by both it, and its companion.

Jacques shook his head slowly. "I gave you everything," he snarled, addressing both of his children. "The best upbringing one can hope for, safety, food, comfort, favors with the Church…" He squeezed Whitley tighter. "How could you betray me like this?"

"Betray you?" Weiss gasped. "You've abused us ever since we could speak! You molded us into what you wanted us to become. You hurt our mother! We don't owe you anything! If anything, you betrayed us by being a failure as a father!"

This was enough for Jacques to drop Whitley and slap his daughter across the face.

Whitley fell to the ground, gritting his teeth as he felt the gray wolf tightening her grip on Demetria. "Weiss, don't make it worse!" He couldn't bear it if Weiss was sent away along with his mother. "We can't fight him!"

Weiss stopped struggling, her throat tightening as she realized that her brother was right. They were powerless just then. _This is all my fault,_ she thought numbly. _If I hadn't been so careless… Oh, Yang. Forgive me._

Jacques's rage only increased as he got a closer look at her. "Who have you been fooling around with?!" he bellowed with another smack.

Weiss gasped, her head spinning, dimly realizing that she hadn't changed out of her nightgown.

Jacques then went on to rifle through her cloak, withdrawing the dagger and the flower. Without a thought, he crushed the flower in his hand.

"No!" Weiss screamed, feeling yet another light going out within her. Now, there was no way to summon Pyrrha back in time to help her.

Jacques scowled as he looked at the dagger. "So, you knew nothing, did you?" he growled at Whitley. He seemed too preoccupied to hit him again. "I've seen enough. Escort them to their rooms. I'll decide what to do in the morning."

Weiss exchanged one last helpless glance with Whitley as they were forced into their rooms. She heard the click of a lock and sank onto her bed, tears welling up. How could everything go so wrong, when her life had finally started looking up? Now, everything was ruined. Jacques would never let her out of his sight again. All of the plans that had been made, Pyrrha's connections with the Gyptians, Klein's hopes for Willow… It all meant nothing.

Where was Klein? There was no way he would have been absent during all the abuse Whitley had clearly suffered. What had happened to him?

Through Weiss's panic, something else managed to peek through, however. It was a pulse of love, concern, and anger. It was Yang.

 _Yang!_ Of course. The soulbond was complete now. Yang could feel everything Weiss was feeling. She was probably so scared and confused. Weiss wished she knew how to communicate words across long distances, but all she could do was feel. She let her hopelessness and despair wash over her, then allowed Yang's comfort and assurance chase it away. Even if Yang didn't know what was happening, she would fight for Weiss until the end.

Weiss feared, truly feared, that it might actually come to that for both of them. More than that, she was beginning to wonder if perhaps this was a fight that neither of them was destined to win.

 **The moment when Demetria settled was another moment I was really looking forward to typing. This chapter was really intense to write. I hate hurting my precious Schnee babies… Stay tuned for next week!**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	18. The Ermine's Cage

**Hello again, my lovelies! Are you ready for more angst! No? Well, too bad! That's exactly what you're getting!**

 **Enjoy!**

Willow hadn't struggled. That was probably the first smart thing she'd done that day.

She had seen the needle that one of the doctors was holding. It was obviously meant to sedate her if she resisted. Part of her considered resisting just so that she could be granted a few hours of drugged sleep. Anything to free her from the anguish that threatened to overwhelm her with each passing second.

Klein was dying. She could tell that much. Their soulbond was a haze of blood and pain. If Willow focused too much on it, she would get dizzy.

As for her children, she had no idea what was going to happen next. From what she had gathered, Weiss had been sneaking out for several nights, assisted by Klein. Whitley had also been involved, somehow, which was why Jacques had been beating him.

Willow had tried to take the beating on herself. It was all she could do. It was all she had ever been able to do. Then, when she had seen Klein on the ground, she had lost all control, because she knew that Jacques could and would kill her soulmate on sight. Whitley, at the very least, would survive to see another day.

During the early years of her marriage, ever since she first realized that there would be no escape for her from Jacques's cruelty, she had tried to at least lessen the harm that befell her children. In the years while Winter was still around and Weiss was young, she would send them to their rooms when she noticed her husband's temper flaring. She would try to redirect his attention in any way she could. After Whitley's birth, after she started drinking in earnest, she found other ways to distract him, playing the fool and whittling away at his already-sparse good graces while they were alone. Anything to make her the punching bag rather than her poor children. It was the one thing she had ever been good for.

Now, she was in this padded room. Alone. Helpless. Useless.

Except, she was never truly alone. She held Varian to her chest, feeling the tiny ermine trembling against her. Once again, she considered the option of snapping his neck and ending everything for both of them.

"Not yet," he whispered. "Not while Klein and Sonja live."

He was right, of course. Willow couldn't kill herself while Klein was still struggling through his pain. If nothing else, she had to be there for him, even if it was just through their soulbond. When he inevitably died of his wounds, that would be the moment for her to end her own life.

She lay back on the bed, letting out a sigh. The room was completely white, but it wasn't the pristine white that filled the Schnee Manor. No, this was a dirty, diluted, yellowed white. This was the white of a place that had been lived and died in by countless forgotten individuals. Willow was just another in a long list of invalids, hysterical women, and raving lunatics.

"Do you think you'll be lobotomized?" Varian wondered. "What will happen to me? Will I be lobotomized too?"

"I'm not sure," Willow murmured. "I think damaging one of us in that way will work on the other. Look at what my drinking has done to you."

"The cedarwood too," Varian sighed. "I want some cedarwood. I don't want to be awake."

"Maybe, we won't be," Willow mused. "Maybe, we won't feel a thing." Her head was starting to pound. She needed her wine.

"That might be better. We might be able to live like that." Varian yawned widely. His white fur was ruffled and ungroomed, much like Willow's hair. He couldn't muster the strength to even smooth it down with his tongue. "Klein wouldn't like it, though."

"No, he wouldn't," Willow agreed. "The soulbond would hurt him terribly if that happened." She looked at the ceiling. It would probably be better to just end everything before those doctors had the chance to do anything to her brain.

There was a knock at the door. Someone stepped in immediately, making the knock rather pointless. It was a man with a too-wide smile and a white coat that looked the same as the room: diluted, stained, reeking of death. His dæmon was a giant bat that bore an almost wolf-like face and clung to his shoulders from behind, peering over at Willow with a sharp-toothed grin.

"Hello, Mrs. Schnee," the doctor greeted in a simpering, fake-nice voice. "We are so happy to have you with us."

A younger Willow would have rolled her eyes and said "Why in the world would you be happy about such a thing?" This Willow just lowered her head.

The doctor walked over, clasping his hands together as if he was about to start a much-anticipated activity. "I need to give you a preliminary examination. Please hold still."

He then proceeded to check her eyes, ears, and mouth with a series of instruments. He then felt her muscles. At one point, he seemed to be spending a little too much time at her breasts, causing Varian to let out a snarl. He didn't remove his hand, but his bat dæmon bared her teeth at Varian, forcing the ermine to withdraw shamefully.

"You look to be in good physical health," the doctor continued.

 _Liar,_ Willow thought. She knew that her years of drinking had to have done something to her body.

"Just right for the surgery. You know, you're very lucky to be having it done in this institution," the doctor said briskly. "I have a zero percent death rate with my personal operations, and every woman who leaves here is so much more…agreeable."

He leered openly at Willow's body. "It's a shame your husband wants you back afterward," he mused before standing up. "An orderly will be by later with your dinner. Until then, rest up. Your hysterical thoughts will be gone in only a few days."

Once he was gone, Willow shuddered violently, covering her chest with her arms. Varian crawled to her shoulder and touched her cheek.

"Forget what I said," he growled. "I'd rather we die now than let that man cut you open."

"Not yet," Willow urged. She could still feel Klein. She had to stay alive for him. She just hoped that his death would be quick, painless, and before the doctor returned to have his way with Willow using those shiny tools.

…

Jaune intercepted Yang the next morning. In fact, he practically tackled her in his attempt to get her to stop walking. She had been moving on the path toward the Schnee Manor, taking brisk strides. Yong Shi growled as Eliana leaped onto his back and bit down on his shoulder.

"Yang, stop!" Jaune gasped, yelping as his friend easily shook him off and continued on her path. "Wait!"

"No time," Yang growled. "Something's wrong with Weiss."

"I know! Will you just stop for a second? I talked to Pyrrha last night!"

This was enough to make Yang pause.

"She felt something too. The flower she gave Weiss got crushed, and she saw a flash of Jacques Schnee. She came to me in a dream and told me. She and Hermes are on their way. They should be here by tonight."

Yang shook her head. "That won't be fast enough! You don't get it! I had a nightmare about getting beaten, then woke up feeling Weiss's fear. She's terrified, Jaune! I can't just stand by and let her get hurt!"

"Look, I understand that- Wait." Jaune tilted his head. "You said you felt it. Did you guys complete the soulbond?"

"Yeah, last night!" Yang said. A look of dawning horror came to her face. "Oh no. Weiss's dad must've caught her coming back! This is all my fault! I gotta save her!"

"How do you plan on doing that?" Jaune asked.

"I'll go through the secret way she told me about. I'm sure I can remember how. Then, I'll use the bond to find her, pick up Whitley while I'm at it, beat up anyone in my way, and leave."

Jaune groaned. "Yang, that's suicide. Think for a second. If Weiss was caught, doesn't that mean that Jacques knows about the cellar? You'd be caught right away. Also, you may be strong, but even you can't fight off all the Schnee bodyguards. You'd just get yourself killed and leave Weiss with no soulbond to comfort her. Is that what you want?"

"I…" Yang pressed a hand to her eyes, gritting her teeth to keep from crying. "I can't lose her, Jaune. I finally get it. I finally understand just how important this soulmate thing is. I can't just stand around while that jackass hurts her."

"I know it's hard," Jaune assured her. "Trust me: Pyrrha's in danger on a regular basis, and it drives me crazy whenever I feel it. I hate that I can't help her."

He placed a hand on Yang's shoulder. "Look, if anyone can save Weiss, it's Pyrrha. She has ways of doing things that even I don't totally get. She'll save Weiss, then we can leave town if we have to. We'll meet the Gyptian ship further down the river. We'll do whatever we have to, but you need to keep your head on."

Yang took a deep breath and let it out. Her rage was still boiling, but she knew that Jaune was right. She tapped into her soulbond, trying to send reassuring emotions toward Weiss. She wasn't sure if verbal thoughts could be sent over a larger distance, but she tried: _I love you, Weiss. I'm not giving up on you. Hold on!_

…..

Whitley spent nearly an hour after his initial confinement throwing himself against the door, screaming like a banshee, cursing, babbling gibberish, whatever he could do to let his rage out. Then, he slumped against the wall, sobbing hard enough to make him gasp for breath.

Demetria curled up in his lap, and he combed his fingers through her brown, gray, and white fur. She had become an arctic fox, but had maintained the colors of a fox during the summer, when the white fur faded to several colors that let it blend in with the changing world. A soft, earthy brown color blazed down her back and most of her tail. Her sides were blue-gray with some white freckles. Her underbelly was white, along with her muzzle, paws, and a few spots around her eyes. Her face was a mix of brown and gray, her ears almost black. Her settled form, beautiful though it was, was no comfort just then.

It was over. Weiss would be trapped in her room until she was married off. Whitley would be made into a pawn for his father, taking over a company he didn't even care about. Willow was going to be lobotomized so that she could be kept quiet and complacent for the rest of her life. Klein…

Whitley bit back a sob as he thought of Klein. The kindly butler was probably dead already, his spaniel dæmon turned to dust and scattered to the winds.

A large part of him hated Weiss. He hated her for building up so much hope within him, only to make a stupid mistake that snatched everything away. He hated her for being reckless. He hated her for being careless. He hated her for everything he and Willow would suffer on account of her.

More than that, however, he hated his father. His father, who had brought them to this state in the first place. His father, whose abuse had become normal in the minds of his wife and children. His father, who was the true person responsible for this whole mess.

He decided to focus on hating Weiss. It would make the plan forming in his mind just a little easier to swallow. It would make giving up feel like less of a betrayal and more of a necessity.

When the bodyguard opened the door that morning to bring him food, Whitley was standing ready, his back straight, his hands held behind his back. At his side, Demetria's face was a mask, her fluffy tail curled primly around her paws.

"If you would, please tell Father I would like to make a full apology and confession."

…

There was a knock at the door before it was opened by Jacques's mousey servant. He bowed his head to Weiss as he stepped inside.

Weiss looked dully at him. She was too distraught to come up with any snide remarks. She had spent most of the morning feeling Yang's helplessness and anger in response to her capture. She couldn't fit much else into her mind at the moment.

"Miss Schnee," the man said in an oily voice, bowing his head. "I've been asked to bring you something." He held out a small bottle.

"What is it?" Weiss asked.

"Something to undo any potential mistakes," the man replied. "Your brother gave a full confession to your father, you know." He seemed particularly gleeful when pointing this out. "He told him all about the boy you've been seeing, and how often you've left. Tsk, tsk. You'll be praying for a long time to get forgiveness for that one."

"Just get on with it!" Weiss snapped. _So, Whitley is wheedling his way back into Father's good graces. Probably his best strategy, honestly._ She couldn't bring herself to hate her brother for wanting to survive. _At least he lied about me seeing a man. If he had talked about Yang at all…_ She shuddered to imagine what would have happened.

"Well, your father doesn't want any, erm, illegitimate heirs to worry about," the mousey man explained.

"Oh." Weiss felt her gut roiling with hatred as she realized what the bottle held. It was an abortive agent, made just in case there was an "unworthy" illegitimate child within her. There was none, of course, but the fact that Jacques would be so blasé about forcing his daughter to do such a thing was both unsurprising and utterly appalling.

She took the potion, keeping her face expressionless as she drank it down. It was slimy and bitter, like most of her thoughts in that moment. She shuddered as she swallowed it, then handed the bottle back to the servant. "Anything else?"

He flashed a very fake smile. "That will be all. Thank you for your cooperation." The door closed.

Weiss sank to the ground. Her stomach was already starting to hurt. She wrapped her arms around herself, sobbing quietly as Anmut touched his beak to her shoulder.

In that moment, she felt a flush of warmth, determination, anger, and love. It was Yang. Her soulmate was trying to offer what comfort she could. This was enough to draw a shaky smile to Weiss's face.

Yang still believed in her. As long as that was true, she would try to have hope.

 **I gotta say: This story became way darker than I had expected. I shouldn't be surprised, of course, considering all the messed-up stuff that happened throughout** _ **His Dark Materials**_ **. I think I've successfully made Jacques even more hated here than in canon, if your reviews are any indication. I'll see you next week, when you'll at least see a ray of hope for our heroes.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	19. The Spaniel's Shame

**Hello again, my lovelies! I know I've had you swimming in angst lately, but there is hope on the horizon!**

 **Enjoy!**

Whitley's time was short. That was one thing he was absolutely sure of. Jacques wanted Willow "fixed" as soon as possible. That meant that there were only a few days to get into his good graces.

It was a simple plan. Simple, effective, and horrible. It was the plan of one who had no hope left.

Whitley would apologize over and over again to his father. He'd be the good son he was supposed to be. He would glare scornfully at Weiss whenever he saw her. He would back Jacques up in every argument.

Then, he would beg to be allowed to see his mother one last time before her operation. If he was good, Jacques would let him, right?

He had his spare dagger, the one that had been taken from Weiss. He supposed that Jacques had decided that his son having the appropriate ornaments on hand was important enough to let him have the dagger back. Whitley, if all went according to plan, would sneak it into the institution and give it to Willow. Klein had been pretty clear about the fact that she was one step away from ending her own life. If Whitley could do nothing else, he could at least offer her a quick, easy way out.

It was the kindest thing to do, wasn't it? What did Willow have left to live for? Klein was probably dead by now. (Whitley forced that thought firmly to the back of his mind, scrunching his eyes to keep the tears at bay.) Weiss would be sold off to the first rich man who would take her. Whitley would have to become a miniature clone of his father. Even Willow's own mind was no longer sacred! Wouldn't it be better to give her a choice, for once in her life?

So far, things were going well. He had talked about Weiss's several times sneaking out, omitting the fact that he had actually gone too. He gave full details concerning the servants' secret exit. He felt a little bad about that, but it wasn't as if Klein could get in any more trouble. Even if the other servants resented him for it, he couldn't bring himself to care anymore.

He did lie a bit, of course. He wasn't cruel enough to sell out Yang, Pyrrha, or any of their friends. Jacques didn't need to know about them, after all. All that mattered was that he thought that the problem was resolved. The "man" Weiss had been seeing would no longer be an issue.

All that remained was getting Jacques's trust to return. After Whitley's blatant attack, and the fact that he hadn't told on Weiss before now, things weren't looking too good on that note. Still, it would be enough to get him to see Willow, right?

Whitley was so resigned to his fate, so resigned to donning his old, hated mask again, he almost thought he was hallucinating when he saw a familiar red hawk at his window. He blinked once. Twice. Then, he hurried over, tears streaming down his face.

"Hermes!" he gasped as he threw the window open. "You're here!"

The hawk nodded. His yellow eyes were filled with sadness. "Yes. Your father crushed the flower Pyrrha gave Weiss, so we knew she needed us. Tell me exactly what happened."

Whitley gave a rapid-fire account of Weiss's departure, the servant finding out, Jacques's beating, and the ensuing fight. "Klein is probably dead by now, and Mother is going to be completely destroyed." Tears streamed down his cheeks. "I don't know what to do, Hermes." He couldn't bring himself to say that he had already given up, and had been planning to assist in his own mother's suicide.

Hermes jumped down from the windowsill so that he could drape a wing over Demetria's mottled back. The fox's ears were drooped and a few tiny whimpers rose in her throat.

"You poor children," the hawk murmured. A fierce, angry expression came to his face. "I hope the day comes when Pyrrha and I can finish that man and his gray wolf once and for all." He shook his head, focusing again on the child and fox.

"Listen, now. Do not lose hope. Pyrrha and I will do what we can to save you. The ship is coming for you. It'll be a bit upriver from here, but it's still coming."

Whitley let out a choked gasp at this news.

"We'll save you. We'll save your mother. If he's alive, we'll save Klein," Hermes promised. "Pyrrha will do a scrying spell to find him. Do you have something of his to make it easier?"

Whitley nodded before going to his dresser and withdrawing an old pocket watch. Klein always had one. This one had stopped working, but a much younger Whitley had been so fascinated with the clockwork, Klein had given it to him instead of throwing it away. "Will this work?"

Hermes took the watch in his talons. "This should do just fine."

"Do you need something to find Mother?"

"No. We've already used a scrying spell to find your eldest sister," Hermes explained. "Blood relatives have very similar energy signatures. Finding your mother will be easy."

"Thank God," Whitley murmured, taking a deep, shuddering breath.

The hawk eyed him critically. "You had nearly given up."

"I…" Whitley shifted guiltily.

"Hush," Hermes soothed. "No one can blame you. I only ask that you try harder to hold onto your hope in the future. Once you lose it, it's very hard to regain it again. When someone gives up, they lose a vital piece of themselves, and they never fully get it back, even when things get better."

Whitley thought of his hollow-eyed mother. He could definitely see the wisdom in Hermes's words. "I'll keep that in mind." He glanced toward his door. "I don't know if I'll be able to tell Weiss anything, and I think her window is boarded up."

"Worry not," Hermes said. "She and Yang have completed their soulbond. There are other ways to communicate with her. Just stay strong, and be ready." Clutching the watch, Hermes flew out the window. The slow climb into the air seemed to symbolize the slow, jerky rise in Whitley's faith.

He looked at the dagger, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. "We should probably keep doing what we've been doing," he said to Demetria.

The fox nodded. "One way or another, Willow will probably be wanting that dagger."

…..

Klein could hardly think. He could hardly breathe He wished he could hardly feel. Every inch of his body was screaming for the sweet relief that death would bring. His nose was filled with the stench of blood, dust, and all other manners of filth found at the roadside, all mashed together into a disgusting paste.

His fingers grasped at Sonja's fur, which was matted with grime and dried blood. She whimpered and pressed her head against his chest.

When he tried to feel Willow through the soulbond, he only felt hopelessness, despair, and a pained attempt at comfort that made his heart ache.

He had failed her. He had failed the children. Every blow he had received from Jacques's bodyguards felt like a just punishment. The extra beating he had received from the bandits who took anything of value from his person didn't even seem excessive.

Now, he was going to die in this ditch. Alone. Filthy. His entire life meaningless.

He cursed himself for all the times he had been cowardly, all the times he hadn't done what he knew to be the right thing, every moment he hadn't strangled Jacques and truly tried to save the people he cared about.

 _I deserve this fate, Sonja,_ he thought grimly. _I'm only sorry that you have to share in it._

Sonja nuzzled against him. _We are the same person, Klein. Your faults are mine, as is your fate._

Klein sighed, hugging her even closer. He opened his eyes, hoping to get one last glimpse at the sky. For a moment, that was all he saw.

Then, he blinked. A woman was standing over him. As her face came into focus, Klein saw how beautiful she was: green eyes, bright red hair, a gentle smile… Was this an angel? Was he really going to Heaven, after all the ways he had failed?

No… This angel was dressed in black. That could only mean…

Klein squeezed his eyes shut and muttered a prayer under his breath. Regardless of what he deserved, he did not want to go to Hell! He clutched his dæmon close, well aware that the moment was coming when they would be separated forever. She would turn to dust, and they would never see each other again.

A hand touched his shoulder. A warm, solid hand. He hesitantly opened his eyes again.

The woman was still there. She wasn't an angel, or a devil… No, Klein recognized her now. It was the witch, Pyrrha Nikos.

Hope awoke within him once again, like a beaten monster rearing its head one last time. He opened his mouth to speak. He had to tell Pyrrha about what had happened. Maybe, she could save everyone.

His lips parted, and he felt something cold pressing to them. A bitter liquid trickled down his throat, and he swallowed instinctively. He was too weak to gag on the taste.

Immediately, he could feel strength flooding through him yet again. Of course, this meant that the pain he was in was brought into sharper clarity. He grunted as the witch pulled him to his feet. He was barely able to hold onto Sonja.

"Come on," Pyrrha urged, her kindly voice thick with worry. "We need to clean your wounds, or you'll die no matter what."

"Willow," Klein gasped. "Weiss. Whitley. They…"

"Shh. I know," Pyrrha murmured. "I know. Let's get you to safety first."

The next few minutes went by like a sluggish river with Klein drifting in and out of consciousness. He wasn't sure how Pyrrha was moving him. He couldn't even tell if he was walking or being carried. In the end, though, he opened his eyes to see a large mansion in front of him. For a fearful moment, he thought he was back at the Manor.

But no. No, this mansion was smaller and had a much kinder look to it, almost like a fairy tale cottage that was made bigger than it had any right to be. The smell of marigolds and apples and other fall plants was thick in the air.

A young woman appeared before him, a woman with long, gold hair and blue eyes. She was joined by others. Klein dimly thought that, if there were angels, they probably looked like these girls.

That was his last thought before exhaustion claimed him and he passed out completely.

…

Jaune watched as Pyrrha, his eldest sister, and the servants hurried to get Klein into the mansion. He had offered to help, of course, but the servants had insisted that they and Mary would be sufficient. Mary, after all, had spent several years studying medicine. Their father had procured as many books on the subject for her as he could find.

Sapphire, the second oldest, moved close to Jaune, shaking her head. Her dæmon, a sharp-eyed tabby cat, glared at the trail of blood on the ground. "That poor man. I knew Schnee was a bastard, but this…"

One of Jaune's younger sisters, seven-year-old Jenny, hugged his leg. Her dæmon had turned into a white butterfly and was flying in an agitated circle around her head. "Is he gonna die?"

Jaune ruffled Jenny's hair. "With Pyrrha and Mary helping him, I'm sure he'll be okay." He tried to hide his worry. Klein honestly didn't look good. Worse still, saving him was only the beginning. Jaune couldn't even begin to picture how they could possibly save the rest of the Schnees _and_ make it north in one piece.

Just as those worries started to fill him, however, he felt a soothing sensation traveling along the bond he shared with Pyrrha. He took a breath, smiling a little as Eliana rubbed her small head against his cheek. If Pyrrha believed that they could succeed, so did he.

It was an hour before Pyrrha emerged from the room where Klein was being tended to. "He'll live," she said, in response to Jaune and the others' inquiring look. She looked at Johann and Joan. "He shouldn't be moved for at least three days, though."

Johann nodded. "Of course. He's welcome to stay as long as he needs." His coyote dæmon was pacing back and forth, growling quietly. "I just wish I could go give that Schnee bastard a piece of my mind."

Joan touched her husband's shoulder as her sparrow dæmon perched on his hand. "You know that won't do any good, love. We have to focus on helping our son and his friends get away from here safely." She turned to Pyrrha. "Whoever else you save, they can stay here until you can get to the Gyptian ships. It'll be safer than the Xiao Long house."

"Thank you," Pyrrha said, bowing her head. "You two are very kind."

"What can we do now?" Jaune asked.

"I need to do a scrying spell to locate Willow," Pyrrha replied. "After that, I'm going to teach Yang how to communicate with Weiss through dreams. Hermes checked the windows at the Manor, and the ones to her room have been boarded. We don't know if Whitley will be able to speak to her, so this is the only way to make sure she knows what's happening.."

"What should I do?"

"Stay here and take care of Klein," Pyrrha urged. "He's away from death's door, but its shadow is still there. If he dies, Willow will lose any and all hope. I'm sure of it." She nodded toward the door. "I left several vials of bloodmoss elixir with your sister. Try and get him to eat something once he wakes up."

"I will," Jaune promised. "Be careful."

Pyrrha kissed his cheek. "I will. Make sure you don't lose hope."

"I won't," Jaune said. "Not as long as you're around." He watched as she hurried out the door, feeling a tug in his chest as she left.

He felt a tiny, familiar hand slipping into his. He smiled down at Jenny, who didn't smile back.

"You're leaving soon, right?" she asked.

"Yeah," Jaune said. "In a few days, probably."

"Do you have to?"

"I do," Jaune replied. "But I'll write to you. And maybe, when you're older, you can come north too."

Jenny did smile at that. "I hope so." She leaned against Jaune's side. "I hope your friends are okay."

"Me too," Jaune sighed, ruffling his little sister's hair. "Me too…"

…

It was hard to wait for Pyrrha to return that night. Yang paced back and forth for nearly an hour before a frustrated Ruby forced her to sit down. Blake, Sun, and Ilia were also present, acting as silent pillars of comfort.

Taiyang was still in the process of drying and curing the meat from his most recent hunt. If recent events were anything to go by, his family would need the supplies very soon.

"Don't worry, Yang," Ruby said. "Pyrrha said she has a plan. We just have to trust her."

"I know," Yang grumbled. "I just hate sitting around. I've been feeling Weiss's sadness nonstop."

"Worse than that," Yong Shi added. "Weiss is trying to suppress it for our sake."

Ruby sniffled, hugging her sister. "That sounds like Weiss. Do you think Whitley is okay?"

"We'll know once Hermes comes back," Blake said, staring ponderously at the wall. "Things are going to get pretty dangerous."

"You guys don't have to-" Yang started.

"Nope! Stop right there!" Sun cut in. "We're friends. We're involved. Don't tell us to back off for our own safety. I say it's time to leave this place anyway!"

Ilia nodded. "I'm honestly sick of the District. The northlands sound much more promising. I just hope I can afford a decent coat…"

There was a tap on the door before Pyrrha entered, looking drained and thoughtful. "I found Willow," she said. "She's at an asylum to the east of here."

Yang gritted her teeth. "What kind of sick bastard would do that to his own wife?!"

"A sick bastard like Jacques Schnee," Ilia growled.

"Saving her will be tricky," Pyrrha said. "It would be safest to wait until the Gyptian ship arrives, and whisk her right there, but I don't know when she's scheduled to be lobotomized. On the other hand, if I save her today or tomorrow, every guard will be on high alert looking for her, and everyone will be suspicious of anything unusual. That will make our final escape more difficult."

"Especially if the wrong person spots an uninvited witch in the area," Blake speculated.

"Exactly." Pyrrha leaned against the wall. "There's no question, of course. I have to save Willow as soon as possible. There's no magic that can reverse something as damaging and personal as a lobotomy. All the bloodmoss in the world wouldn't help. We'll just have to take a risk with the guards and the church."

"What about Weiss?" Yang asked. "You said you could teach me how to contact her."

"Yes," Pyrrha affirmed. "Follow me."

The process included a lot of quick technique study, several candles, a packet of crushed herbs that tickled Yang's nose with its smell, and some muttered words from Pyrrha. At the end of it all, Yang found herself in a kind of trance.

She was wandering through a pinkish fog. Yong Shi was at her side, his eyes as bright and alert as hers. Remembering what Pyrrha told her, she put a hand on her dæmon and focused on the bond that connected her to Weiss.

As she did, a string appeared, originating in Yong Shi's chest and stretching off into the fog. Taking hold of it, Yang started to run. As she ran, the string got brighter and started sending a tingly sensation through her body. Finally, she reached the end of the string, which pulsed with light as it pressed into a familiar swan's heart.

Never before had the sight of Weiss and Anmut been so profoundly beautiful. Letting out a sob, Yang flung herself at her soulmate, hugging her tightly. "Weiss!"

Weiss gasped, stiffening. She blinked a few times, her mind immediately chasing away the shadowy remnants of the dream she had been having, and she found herself in this pink fog, Yang's arms wrapped around her. "Yang?" she whispered, hesitantly bringing her hands up.

"Yeah, it's me," Yang murmured. "I'm here."

Tears sprang to Weiss's eyes as she buried her face in Yang's shoulder. "I'm so sorry! If I hadn't been so reckless-"

"Shh," Yang hushed. "We were both reckless. Don't worry. Pyrrha's here. She already found Klein, and she's going to save your mom. After that, we'll figure out how to rescue you and Whitley. The ship's still coming."

Weiss felt a burning in her chest as all the hope that had started to flicker and die within her suddenly blazed forth with the force of a thousand suns. She clutched Yang tightly. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," Yang said, squeezing Weiss tightly, not worried for once about hurting her since they were in a dream. "Wait for me. You'll be free soon."

When Weiss woke up, her pillow was soaked with tears, but she was smiling in a way she had thought she never would again. "Free," she whispered.

Anmut rested his head on her bed, his black eyes glinting. "Free."

 **Next week is definitely going to be a ride. A Pyrrha-centric ride. Can I just say once again how glad I am that I made her a witch in this fic? It seriously fits her so well.**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	20. The Hawk's Mercy

**Hello, my lovelies! We're back yet again with a daring rescue by our favorite witch.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Trigger warning: There is mention of rape of a patient in this chapter. Nothing explicit, but it's very obvious what happened.**

It was easy for a witch to make herself unseen. Not invisible, mind you. If she held out her hand, even while under the spell, her hand would be visible to her. Rather, she simply went unnoticed by the average human or Faunus. An untrained eye would pass right over her. A man could look at her, then immediately forget what he had seen once he turned away. Only someone specifically looking for her, or someone with power similar to that of a witch, could see her.

Luckily for Pyrrha, no one at the asylum knew her or knew how to see her. So, she slipped through the darkened hallways like a ghost.

A small dagger weighed down one of her pockets. When Hermes went to Whitley to tell him that Willow would be freed that night, the young Schnee boy had immediately given him the dagger, asking that Pyrrha give it to his mother.

Pyrrha had the distinct feeling that its original purpose had been much darker, but she had no intention of asking Whitley about it. Truthfully, she understood. If she was offered a choice between death and the intentional destruction of her mind, she would choose the former every time.

That conviction deepened when she heard a noise coming from one of the padded rooms. She peeked in and felt bile rising in her throat at what she saw: A man pulling up his pants, obviously having just finished satisfying a primal urge. The man had a white coat on, marking him as a doctor. The woman on the bed was utterly still, her mouth slightly open. Thick, crude stitches could be seen on the side of her shaved head. Her dæmon, a tiny brown rabbit, was sprawled limply next to her pillow. There was a bite on his ear, obviously inflicted by the spectral bat dæmon that was crawling up the doctor's coat.

Rage filled Pyrrha, turning her blood to fire. She opened the door and, for a moment, became completely visible. The doctor didn't have time to scream before Pyrrha's knife was plunged into his throat. His mouth opened as he sputtered bloodily grasping at his throat as if his hands somehow had the power to close the gaping wound there. Then, he fell. His pants slipped down to his ankles, making his end deservedly undignified. The bat turned to dust and scattered before her human hit the ground.

Pyrrha took several breaths to calm herself down. She didn't regret what she had done, not in the slightest. She turned to the woman, who was gazing at her with dim eyes.

She knelt by the woman's side. Before her unfortunate operation, she had likely been very beautiful. There were laugh lines on her face, though these had long since turned into deep wrinkles. There were traces of black hair on the unshaven side of her head, and her eyes were blue. They had probably been gorgeous when they sparkled.

The rabbit dæmon looked like a creature who had once run fast and far, constantly pushing the boundaries of distance between him and his human before leaping back into her arms. Now, his ears barely twitched in response to the witch's presence. His eyes were blank in a way no rabbit's eyes should be.

Pyrrha looked at the woman, feeling her own eyes welling with tears. "I'm sorry," she breathed. She didn't know what she was apologizing for. The woman's fate? Killing the doctor in front of her?

The woman blinked. "There will be another," she said simply.

Pyrrha's heart shattered. "Do you want me to kill you too?" A large part of her just wanted to do it out of mercy, but she held herself back. Whatever had happened to this woman's brain, she was still alive and worthy of making her own decision on this matter. It would probably be the only choice she would ever be offered in this cursed life she had been stuck with. Who had decided this for her? Had it been a husband? A father? Who had snuffed the light out of this woman's eyes before leaving her alone?

The woman blinked and her brows furrowed ever so slightly, as if she was trying to think but couldn't remember how to. "Kill." She turned her head toward her dæmon, who lifted his head. "We'll be separated, won't we?"

The rabbit sighed. "Aren't we already? Are we…?" He paused. "What was I saying?"

The woman looked at the body of her perverted doctor, and a trace of a shadow of a shadow of anger passed over her face before her eyes became blank again. "There will be another. I'd rather…rather not have another." She looked up at Pyrrha. "Are you Death?"

"I can be," Pyrrha said. "Only if you ask. I can let you live too." She couldn't take this woman with her. There would be nowhere for her to go. Leaving this woman meant leaving her to this cursed existence with another doctor, maybe even worse than the one on the floor.

"Live…" The woman's eyes closed. "I'm not alive, not really. Might as well go all the way." She looked at Pyrrha's knife. "Please clean that first."

"Of course." Pyrrha wiped the blood of the doctor off on the bedsheets, then stripped them away. She sat down at the woman's side and held her hand. "Are you ready?"

The rabbit dæmon crawled slowly, weakly onto his human's chest and closed his eyes. "Yes," he said.

"What are your names?" Pyrrha asked. Even if no one else remembered these victims, she would carry their names for as long as she lived.

"Martha," the woman said. "This is Hrairoo."

"Martha and Hrairoo, I will take vengeance for you," Pyrrha promised before slitting the woman's throat. She felt a slight tingle as the rabbit's dust brushed by her, and she shivered, tears streaming down her cheeks and neck. _This place must burn._

She checked the rest of the building. There were two other permanent residents, both lobotomy victims, both women. She asked each of them if they wanted their lives to end. Both of them contemplated as much as they could before saying yes. Pyrrha held their names and the names of their dæmons in her heart as she made sure no on else was in the building. It looked as if the doctor was the only one who remained after dark, providing sparse care and satisfying his personal wants as he desired. Pyrrha was glad he had seen her face before he died.

Finally, she returned to the room she had found Willow in. She let herself be seen as she entered. "Willow?"

For a moment, she was afraid that she was too late. This woman's expression was almost as dim and lifeless as the other victims. But no, there was a slight spark in her eyes as she looked at Pyrrha, a tiny spark that was in danger of going out with or without a doctor's help.

"Who are you?" Willow asked, her voice holding a slight tremor of fear. She couldn't see this woman's dæmon. It was as if a ghost was visiting her, a harbinger of her inevitable demise. Now that it was happening, she wasn't sure if she wanted to die after all.

Pyrrha smiled gently. "I'm a friend of your children. A witch. I'm here to take you away from here."

A witch? Willow's eyes widened. A real witch was friends with her children, and was here to save her? A flimsy flutter of hope appeared in her chest. "How are my children? And my soulmate! I can feel him healing, but I don't know where-"

"He is healing," Pyrrha interrupted. "I found him. He nearly died, but my friends are tending to him. He will go north with you."

"North…" Willow felt her throat tightening. Klein had talked about taking her north, but she had never believed him. Daring to believe had been too dangerous. "Am I dreaming?" she wondered.

"You aren't," Pyrrha promised. She withdrew Whitley's dagger. "Here. From your son. Hopefully, you won't need it."

Willow accepted the dagger, staring at its silver-plated hilt. Yes, there was the Schnee family crest! This did belong to Whitley. _My dear Whitley,_ she thought, her lip trembling.

"Come on," Pyrrha urged. "I killed everyone here. We need to leave so I may burn this place down."

Willow felt a grim sense of satisfaction at this declaration. "The doctor with the bat dæmon…"

"Dead," Pyrrha confirmed. Her brows furrowed. "Did he hurt you?"

"No," Willow said. "He touched me, though. He wanted to do more after he…after he cut me open." She shuddered, holding Varian close to her chest.

Pyrrha placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "He will touch no one else. Let's go and leave this place as a pile of ashes, so no one else may be cursed here."

They exited the building and Pyrrha moved her cloud pine to a safe distance. Then, she took an ordinary branch and set it alight. She was about to touch it to the building, then stopped, turning to Willow. "Would you like to do the honors?"

Willow stared at the branch, then at the building, the place that would have robbed her of what little self she had managed to cling to over the years. A surge of hatred for everything filled her: the perverted doctor, the church that allowed for such things to happen, and her husband, who had sent her here.

Varian squirmed, letting out a growl. "Burn it, Willow!" he hissed, his voice taking on a ferocity that he had thought to be long gone. "Burn it all!"

Willow snatched the branch and jabbed it at the building like a sword. The flame wasn't snuffed by this violent action. Rather, it burned brighter, likely due to magic. A thrill went through her as the flame caught. She ran to another spot and stabbed at it with the beautiful ember. There was a ring of blue in the middle of it, then the tiniest line of green and violet.

Such a pretty fire. Jab! Stab! Burn!

With a breathless whooshing noise, the flames shot up the sides of the building, consuming wood and stone alike, touching everything with violet-rimmed light.

Pyrrha took Willow's hand and led her away. She had to squeeze the woman's wrist to make her drop the smoking branch. Then, she got on her cloud pine, made sure Willow was in a secure position and was holding onto her, then took off.

Willow yelped as her feet were suddenly dangling in open air. She felt Varian clinging to her chest with his tiny claws and scrunched her eyes shut. Her stomach did a sickening flip, threatening to evict the tasteless dinner she had been fed a few hours ago.

Then, Pyrrha evened out her pine at a higher altitude and began to fly toward Vale. The cold air whipped by quickly, but smoothly.

After a few minutes, Willow hesitantly opened her eyes. She gasped as she saw the land so far below her, looking like the realistic fields and houses that made up the expensive train sets of some of Jacques's friends. Only, these were real. Real and so far beneath her.

In that moment, Willow realized how little everything truly was, and how it didn't matter, didn't have to matter! From so high up, all problems faded to insignificance. Even when she was back on the ground, nothing could truly be so serious as to be all-encompassing, as her grief had always felt.

Nothing mattered! Everything was a toy, a plaything, if you just looked at it the right way. Even the asylum, as Willow looked over her shoulder at it, looked like little more than a burning candle as it faded into the distance. This realization caused Willow to let out a slightly-crazed laugh and move back away from Pyrrha. She unwound one arm and reached out, grasping at the freezing air. Varian climbed to her shoulder and wrapped himself around her neck like a scarf, his eyes squinting as he tried to take everything in.

It was impossible to truly articulate what Willow was feeling just then. "Look, Varian!" she cried. "Look! We're flying!" Of course, her dæmon understood everything that remained unspoken.

Pyrrha felt herself smiling, despite the circumstances. The first time in the air was truly a joy. She still remembered the sense of excitement and freedom she had first felt when she finally joined Hermes in the sky.

She wondered whose joy was greater, the joy of one who had spent her entire early life looking forward to it, or the joy of one who had become resigned to a life without hope or possibilities and was suddenly filled with both.

Either way, Pyrrha was happy to witness that joy firsthand.

…

"We need to leave town," Taiyang insisted. "It's not safe for any of us here."

Yang folded her arms. "I'm staying here until Weiss is safe."

Yong Shi growled softly at an impassive Thora. The doe's ears flicked, but she took a step forward, refusing to back down.

Taiyang groaned. "Yang, you have the soulbond now. It doesn't matter where you are. Weiss will find you anyway."

"But what if she needs help getting to the ships?" Yang protested. "I can fight off any guards who try to take her back!"

"No, you can't," Taiyang said. "Even you have limitations. What will happen when every guard in Vale descends upon one spot!"

"Sun was talking about starting a riot in the Faunus District. Most of the guards will be distracted when we have to leave."

"That's a terrible idea! That puts all the Faunus in danger too!" Taiyang snapped.

"They're always in danger. Sun's gonna tell them that they'll be screwing with the Schnees. That's something they'll jump on."

"Still, it's an unnecessary sacrifice!" Taiyang insisted. "We need to get out of town now, especially if Pyrrha is saving Willow. The guards will be searching everywhere. I was able to contact Qrow, and he'll be able to take me, Ruby, Blake, Sun, and Ilia north."

"Dad," Ruby cut in. "I'd like to go with Yang."

"Ruby, no," Taiyang groaned. "It's hard enough that I'm letting Yang go on that ship."

"I can help, though," Ruby insisted. "I've gotten better at fighting. If there are guards, you might need more help."

Yang shook her head. "No way, kiddo. You'll be safer with Dad and Qrow."

"There," Taiyang said. "See how worried you are about Ruby? That's how worried I am about both of you! So, can we please get out of town?"

"What if I go stay with Jaune?" Yang asked. "I can help look after Klein and Willow. Once Weiss and Whitley are free, they'll go there before heading to the ships. I can help protect them if I have to."

"I…" Taiyang thought for a moment, then let out a sigh. "I suppose that'll be fine."

"I'm going too!" Ruby piped up. Before her father could say anything, she held up her hand. "Hey. Technically, you can't stop me. Baynar's settled, remember?"

"You're living under my roof, though," Taiyang grumbled, already recognizing that he wasn't going to win this.

"Technically, I'm not, since we're all leaving town."

"Darn your technicalities…" Taiyang shook his head in defeat. "Fine. I'll go ahead with Blake and the others to meet with Qrow. Have Pyrrha tell me once she knows exactly when the ship is coming. I'll come back for you and see your sister off. Deal?"

"Thanks, Dad." Ruby smiled. "Don't worry about us. We're tougher than we look."

"Which is saying something," Yang added. "Since we look pretty awesome already."

"Yeah, we do!" Ruby jumped up, pumping her fist in the air while Baynar barked excitedly.

Taiyang beckoned them over. "At least give me a hug before you go."

Yang and Ruby hugged their dad tightly. Neither of them noticed the way he quickly wiped away some tears that were threatening to spill over. Yong Shi purred as Thora licked his brow. Baynar jumped up, nuzzling Thora's face and whining softly.

When they arrived at Jaune's house, they were relieved to find that Klein was awake. He was sitting in the family room, gamely playing tea party with the two youngest daughters.

Still, even though the kind ex-butler was smiling and laughing with the children just then, both Yang and Ruby were aware of the dark circles under his eyes, the many bandages that were visible, and the many more that weren't. When Klein looked up to greet them, they saw that his eyes had lost a great deal of their former brightness. His dæmon was curled up on the couch, though one eye remained open and her fur wouldn't quite relax.

Yang walked over. "Hey, Klein. How are you feeling?"

"Better," Klein replied, and he meant it. He stroked Sonja's fur, trying to smooth it down. "Willow is safe. She's on her way here."

This should have made him happy, but he knew that this was only the beginning of their escape. He knew that neither he nor Sonja would truly relax until Weiss and Whitley were safe. Then, once they finally went north, he could focus on healing from the fresh, unbandaged wounds that festered in his mind and heart, hidden from even the care of the Arc family.

 **I tried to be very careful when typing that scene with Pyrrha mercy-killing the patients. I wanted it to be clear that it was their overall situations, not their compromised mental states, that made their lives so hellish. I also felt that Pyrrha giving them a choice was very important.**

 **We're starting to wrap things up. All that's left is getting our dear children to safety. How will that be done? Stay tuned!**

 **If you like what you see and want to show extra support while earning sweet rewards, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun.**

 **Peace out!**


	21. The Squirrel's Exhaustion

**Hello once again, my lovelies! We're back with the next chapter of everyone's favorite Dæmon AU!**

 **Enjoy!**

Just a few months ago, Jaune never would have thought that he was destined for an even remotely exciting life. He had always figured that he would learn how to be an investor, an accountant, or some other job within his father's company, miraculously become soulmates with the gorgeous Weiss Schnee, settle down to a life of luxury, and have a few kids.

Then, he actually met Weiss, became soulmates with a witch, and ended up involved in a scheme to steal away the heir and the daughter of the most powerful man in Vale.

He wouldn't have it any other way. He loved Pyrrha with everything he had, and would do anything to keep his friends safe.

That being said, his soulbond was starting to become a bit of a strain on his mental state.

He woke up in the middle of the night when a lance of powerful anger cut through his skull. He sat in his bed fearfully, wondering what was happening to Pyrrha. He felt the anger change to a combination of pity, sadness, and several other complex emotions. Then, it became relief and satisfaction, mixed with some regret. Willow Schnee was safe.

Jaune fell back on his bed with a loud sigh, closing his eyes and trying to will his headache away. He wanted this to end. He wanted to be north with his friends and Pyrrha, where he could settle into a new version of his ideal life: learn a trade, maybe fishing or hunting, find a nice home close to the Goodwitch Clan, and have a few kids.

According to Pyrrha, any female kids they had would be witches while the males would be regular mortals. Jaune didn't care what their genders or powers would be. He'd love them either way.

Of course, he had to get through this crazy adventure if he wanted to actually reach that point.

Mental strain or not, he was standing outside the front doors with Klein that morning as they both felt their soulmates drawing closer. Jaune let out a long sigh of relief when Pyrrha's familiar form came into view.

Klein could hardly stand still as Willow landed before him, Varian curled around her neck, dark eyes brighter than they had ever been. His heart soared in his chest as surely as his soulmate had soared through the night sky. He had felt it as he slept. He had dreamed of her freedom.

Now, with morning's light, he was aware of an even greater miracle: In that moment, Willow was happy.

She had never been happy before. Any positive emotions she had ever felt had always been too tainted with fear, sadness, or alcohol to be called true happiness. Now, however, with freedom turning into an actual possibility, manifested by Pyrrha's cloud pine, Willow actually felt something resembling joy.

Better still, Klein could feel that, under all the layers of happiness, hope, confusion, and fear, she was angry.

 _Yes, love,_ Klein thought fiercely. _No more bowing in fear or resignation. Be angry at those bastards._ He certainly knew that he would never submit to anyone again. After all, had his previous servile attitude helped anyone in the end?

No. No, it hadn't.

Willow smiled as she felt her soulmate's strong thoughts. She hurried over, throwing her arms around him. Just a few days ago, she had given him up for dead. _I won't give up on you again,_ she silently promised. _Ever._

Klein returned the hug, squeezing tightly for one moment before hurriedly loosening his grip. Willow felt so frail, like a skeleton wrapped in gauze.

But, her eyes! Her eyes seemed to hold all the life that the asylum had drained from her body, and more!

"I flew, Klein," she breathed into his ear as Varian crawled onto his shoulder to nuzzle his neck.

"I know." Klein kissed her cheek as Sonja pressed her head against Willow's leg. "I dreamed it."

"The children will fly," Willow went on, her eyes shimmering like a flash of dawn on a still, gray lake. "Pyrrha will save them next."

"So, I understand," Klein replied. He moved back, though he continued to hold his soulmate's trembling, cold hands in his.

Joan Arc, who had been standing quietly in the entryway, allowing the soulmates to properly reunite, now stepped outside. "Miss Willow, I'm sure you're tired and hungry. Would you like me to show you your room? I can bring some breakfast up."

"Oh, yes!" Willow said, suddenly remembering just how little the bland food at the asylum had actually filled her. "Also, may I please have a glass of wine?"

Joan nodded. She had already been briefed on Willow's condition, and knew that the poor woman had a long way to go before she could stop drinking alcohol entirely. "You may have one glass with breakfast, one in the afternoon, and one before bed."

"That sounds lovely!" Willow meant it, too. She wouldn't need several bottles today, surely. She didn't have to dull herself to Jacques, not anymore!

As she was led down the hallway of the lovely, warm, welcoming house, her soulmate at her side, she was almost able to believe that everything would be okay. Of course, she wouldn't truly believe that until her children were safe.

She felt a flash of guilt for daring to feel so giddy, even for a little while, while Weiss and Whitley were still stuck with that awful man.

Klein squeezed her hand as he felt her emotions. "Easy, love. You deserve a few moments of happiness. Pyrrha will save the children either way, and I'm sure they want to see their mother smiling when they get here, rather than wallowing in guilt."

Willow nodded. "You're right." She looked at the floor as she walked. "Klein, do you think…I can be a good mother to them, after all this time?"

"Only time will tell," Klein replied honestly. He wanted to say "Absolutely," but he also knew the reality: Willow had become a ghost to her children even more so than she ever was to him. It would take a lot of time to heal those old wounds and foster an actual relationship between the Schnees. Still, Klein was hopeful. Once they were north, they would have all the time in the world.

Jaune, meanwhile, hurried to kiss Pyrrha. "Welcome back."

Pyrrha returned his kiss gladly, though she frowned as she focused on his pained mind. "I'm sorry. Last night was…more horrible than I had expected it to be." She gave a quick, whispered account of the asylum.

Jaune wanted to vomit as Pyrrha told him about the poor women who had been kept there, women who all chose death over another day of existing at that awful place. "I'm glad you burned it." He hugged her close, resting his head on her shoulder. "I'm trying to be strong. I just…I want all this to be over."

"I know," Pyrrha soothed, gently petting his hair. "It will be. In the meantime, would you rather I hold back on my feelings? I can do that, so that fewer emotions travel along our bond."

Jaune shook his head. "No. It's hard, but I want to be with you through all of this. I want to help you through the hard times, not hide from them. I can handle it."

"As long as you're sure." Pyrrha kissed his forehead. "I need to go check with the Gyptians. Our best bet is to have them dock in a discreet area further upriver. Once I know where and when they'll be there, we can plan how to save Weiss and Whitley."

"Okay." Jaune stepped back reluctantly, though Eliana quickly jumped onto Pyrrha's shoulder to receive a few pets. He smiled as he felt the now-familiar sensation of his soulmate caressing his dæmon. "Be careful. Don't set any more fires."

Pyrrha smirked. "Only if I have to." She kissed Eliana, handed her back to Jaune, and was in the air on her cloud pine in an instant.

Jaune watched her go. He was starting to get all too used to that initial tug when his soulmate left his side. He held Eliana to his chest, where she nuzzled his collarbone in a wordless gesture of comfort. He jumped when he heard footsteps approaching, and turned to see Ruby, Yang, and Taiyang walking down the path.

Ruby ran over, giving him a sympathetic smile. "Hey, Jaune. Looks like we just missed Pyrrha."

"Yeah." Jaune gladly accepted a hug while Eliana hopped down to play with Baynar. "How are things in town?"

"Word just reached the guards about the asylum," Taiyang said. "There's a lot more activity, especially around Schnee Manor. Everyone thinks it was an attack on the Schnees. They think Willow's dead."

Yang shook her head desperately. "I need to try another dream thing with Weiss. She's really sad right now. I don't think she knows her mom's okay."

"Let's go inside," Jaune said. "There's one more guest room that you and Ruby can use."

"I need to hurry and see Qrow," Taiyang said. "I'd rather he not get too close to town while the guards are investigating everyone. Can I leave Ruby and Yang here?"

"Sure," Jaune said. "But, won't it be suspicious if your house isn't occupied?"

"Blake, Sun, and Ilia are taking care of that," Taiyang said. "Along with the rest of the packing. Since they're over so much, no one will think it strange seeing them."

"Good plan." Jaune turned back to Yang and Ruby. "Willow Schnee is here. She's kinda frail, so try to be quiet around her, okay?"

Yang straightened a little. "Could I meet her after I talk to Weiss?" While she felt nothing but loathing for Jacques Schnee, she was very interested in meeting her soulmate's mother.

"Later. Mom just took her to her room to get some sleep. Good luck, sir," Jaune said to Taiyang.

"I'll try to send word soon," Taiyang promised. He hugged Ruby and Yang once more while his doe dæmon nuzzled Baynar and Yong Shi. "Be careful, okay?"

"We will," Ruby promised.

"You know us!" Yang added with a grin.

"I do. That's why I'm worried," Taiyang said dryly as he stepped back. "Take care." He wiped his eyes as he turned away and hurried down the path. He hated to leave his daughters alone. He hated that things had become so complicated and dangerous.

Thora nudged his arm with her nose. "They will be safe. Pyrrha can protect them."

"There's only so much one witch can do," Taiyang muttered, though he kept his voice quiet, so it wouldn't carry back to the girls.

Jaune, meanwhile, led Ruby and Yang into the house.

"Ruby and Yang!" Jenny hurried down the hallway to hug her brother's friends, giggling as Yang picked her up. Her dæmon took the form of an excited, yapping puppy as he rolled around with Baynar and was gently batted by Yong Shi's paw.

"Hey, kiddo," Yang laughed. "You keeping an eye on your brother for us?"

"Yeah!" Jenny said, smiling proudly. "All the time." Her expression sobered. "I won't be able to soon…"

Jaune walked over, touching a kiss to his sister's forehead. "Hey. I told you: You'll get to visit me up north once your older, and we can write letters to each other until then." When Jenny still didn't smile, Jaune added: "I can also send you really nice presents from up there."

This did cause Jenny's face to light up. "Could you send me a walrus tusk?"

Jaune laughed. "That might be a little hard to wrap, but I'll try."

"Yessssss!" Jenny pumped her fist.

At that moment, Mary arrived. Her dæmon, a bright-eyed corn snake, was coiled around her neck. "Mrs. Schnee is in bed," she said. "Everyone should remain quiet in the meantime."

Taking the hint, Jaune led Ruby and Jenny back outside. Yang, on the other hand, asked to be taken to the guest room. She had to contact Weiss.

Once in the clean, cozy guest room, Yang plopped down on the bed and tried to force herself to fall asleep. It was a task easier said than done, of course, especially considering her racing heart and excess adrenaline from all that was happening.

Eventually, Yong Shi managed to lull her into a doze by lying on the bed with her and purring into her chest.

Unfortunately, Yang was unable to find Weiss in the dreamlands. _Of course,_ she thought bitterly as she woke up about an hour later. _Weiss isn't asleep right now._

She just tried focusing on sending comforting feelings and thoughts of Willow. Hopefully, Weiss would realize what her soulmate was trying to convey.

…..

Whitley didn't get much of a chance to talk to Weiss alone, especially now that he was playing the "good boy" act for their father. Still, he knew that he needed to find a way today. He needed to tell her that their mother wasn't dead.

Hermes had come to his window that morning. The first thing the hawk said was "Your mother is fine, regardless of what you hear," then proceeded to give an account of the previous night. Whitley had felt a special kind of satisfaction when he learned that the asylum was nothing more than a pile of ashes, and that his mother herself had pressed the torch to it.

The best way to talk discreetly to Weiss was to have their dæmons quietly converse during a meal, but the gray wolf had taken to keeping a close eye on both Anmut and Demetria whenever they were together. She was in a particularly bad mood today, for obvious reasons.

"Terrorists," Jacques was muttering at breakfast. "Must be terrorists, or maybe hires from a competing mining company."

There were already several theories concerning who had burned the asylum. Whitley had overheard that the guards were shaking down everyone in the Faunus District. He hoped his sister's friends were okay.

Whitley knew he was expected to have some input. "It's more likely a terrorist," he muttered. His eyes were red rimmed. He had rubbed them nearly raw in an effort to look as sad as he was expected to feel. Weiss's eyes were the same, but the tears she had shed were likely real.

Jacques's face was conspicuously composed, his eyes totally dry.

"A competing mining company would want to attack you more directly," Whitley elaborated when his father shot him a questioning look.

"This _is_ a direct attack!" Jacques snapped, his eyes flashing like fireworks.

For a split second, Whitley wondered if his father was showing a moment of actual empathy, a sliver of love for the wife he thought he had lost last night.

"By killing her, they hinder my ability to have more heirs," Jacques continued.

Whitley just barely kept his lip from curling with disgust. Weiss didn't quite stifle a repulsed gasp.

Jacques glared at his daughter. "Do you have a comment?"

Weiss shook her head mutely, staring at the ground. She had sobbed into her pillow for a solid hour after hearing the news. She just couldn't believe it. Her mother was dead, and it was all Weiss's fault that she had been in that asylum in the first place!

Now, however, she was feeling unsure. She kept receiving thoughts of pointed comfort from Yang, as well as thoughts about Willow. Was Yang trying to comfort Weiss because she knew about the fire, or because she knew something Weiss didn't know?

 _Pyrrha was supposed to save Mother. Did she set fire to the asylum afterward? Seems a bit excessive. If that is the case, I'll have to yell at her for scaring me like this._ Weiss hoped that was the case. She desperately, desperately hoped that her mother was okay.

Just as they were leaving breakfast, Whitley reached out to Weiss, grabbing her wrist and squeezing it. "Don't lose hope," he muttered, parroting Hermes's words from earlier.

Weiss looked up at her brother and caught the slightest hint of a smile before he walked away. She barely kept from smiling herself.

 _Whitley wouldn't be smiling if he thought Mother was dead,_ she thought, taking a deep breath. _This means she's alive, which means I have to be ready for what will happen next. Yang will probably contact me tonight._

She looked down at Anmut, who bobbed his head once at her. So many things were uncertain, but they did know one thing: One way or another, this would all be over soon.

 **It's true. It will be over soon. One more month of chapters, and once this story and the commissions are finished, I'll be going on hiatus. When I come back, my only** _ **RWBY**_ **fanfic will be "Wings of Dust." After that's completed, I'm going to be distancing myself from Fanfiction. You'll still see me around, but I'll only be posting for fun, not for a P/atreon. That will be totally devoted to my original works. You also won't see many** _ **RWBY**_ **fics from me after "Wings," if any. I'm still debating whether or not I want to watch Volume 6.**

 **As "Wings of Dust" updates, I'll keep you guys updated on my original stuff, and when I start posting draft chapters on my P/atreon, which will also be revamped during my hiatus. Stay tuned!**

 **Peace out!**


	22. The Wolf's Fall

**Hey, guys. I'm so sorry for how late this chapter is! It's been a crazy couple of days, and I had a horrible day at work yesterday, which led to me conking out right after dinner and sleeping pretty fitfully all night. I'll do my best to keep everything on time this week! Hopefully the content of this chapter will make the wait worth it.**

 **Enjoy!**

Yang stood outside the door to the guest room, her wavering hand hesitating over the clean, polished wood. She could hear the clink of china inside, which meant that Willow was taking her afternoon tea. Would it be better to come back at a different time? Yang knew for a fact that she had absolutely no tea etiquette. What if she used the wrong sugar spoon? Were there multiple sugar spoons?

How was she even supposed to go about this? "Hi, Mrs. Schnee. Guess what? Your daughter's soulmate is a street brawler with an attitude problem."

"She doesn't have to know about your rage issues right away," Yong Shi supplied unhelpfully. "Just knock. If you prolong this, you'll only find more ways to scare yourself."

"I'm not scared!" Yang protested. Still, her hand shook a little as she tapped on the door. "Hello? Mrs. Schnee?"

"Who is it?" a tremulous voice called back.

"I'm Yang, um…" Yang tried to think of what else to say, but she heard a chair quickly move back, then hurried footsteps.

The door was flung open and a frail, shaky, but smiling woman immediately hugged Yang. "I know who you are!" she murmured, her arms trembling as she weakly embraced her daughter's soulmate. "Klein was just telling me about you. Thank you for being there for my daughter. Thank you so much!"

Yang noticed Klein sitting at the small tea table that had been set up in the room. The butler was smiling encouragingly. She smiled back as she hugged Willow, making sure to be gentle. Up close, it was easy to tell just how weak the poor woman still was. Yang probably could have lifted her with one hand if she wanted to. "You don't have to thank me. I'd do anything for Weiss."

"Of course, you would." Willow stepped back, beaming at the strong, bright-eyed woman who had bonded to her daughter. She couldn't have asked for anything better for Weiss. "Come sit with us, please. Klein told me who you are, but I want to hear more about you."

Yang followed Willow to the table, drawing more encouragement from the woman's excited smile and the tentative grip she had on her hand. She sat down near Klein, who poured her tea and handed it to her with an encouraging wink.

Varian, meanwhile, had slipped to the floor to greet Yong Shi. As Yang grew more relaxed, the lion curled up next to her chair with the ermine resting on his large back.

"So, what do you do for a living, Yang?" Willow asked as she brought her cup to her lips. "Is it a career you can carry up north?"

"Um…" Yang rubbed awkwardly at the back of her neck. "I take care of my sister when my dad's hunting. When I can, I fight in rings for coin."

"Oh?" Willow tilted her head. She eyed Yang's muscles and took in a few faded scars that she hadn't noticed at first. After a moment, she smiled again. "Well, I'm sure someone as strong as you can protect my Weiss from any unpleasantness we may face. I'm afraid women of our standing are forbidden from learning the art of combat."

Yang wasn't sure how to respond. Normally, the phrase "women of our standing" would have been said in a snooty, superior way. Willow, however, sounded almost sad, as if she considered her "standing" to be a disadvantage. With all she had been through, it made sense.

"I actually have been teaching her some self-defense," she said. "She was learning pretty quickly." Belatedly, she wondered if that was a good thing to reveal.

Willow set her cup down with a still-trembling hand. "Good," she murmured. "That's good. She won't end up like me if she knows how to fight back."

Yang frowned as she saw a slight shift in Willow's expression. The shaky woman took a sip of wine, her lips pursed, her eyes troubled. It was a look Yang recognized. Weiss always looked like that when she was feeling unnecessarily guilty about something.

"Hey." Yang reached over and lightly touched Willow's wrist. Despite the gentleness of the touch, the poor woman started slightly. "Sorry. I just want you to know that I'm glad you're coming with us. I hope we can get to know each other better, and make a better life for all of us. I know Weiss is looking forward to it."

Weiss had been sobbing with happiness during Yang's last dream visit. Hearing that her mother was safe, and that she and Whitley would soon be rescued, had filled her with a joy that Yang was still feeling the echoes of.

Willow's sad expression didn't fade, even when she returned Yang's determined smile. "Weiss is too forgiving. I know I lost my chance to really be a mother to her."

"No, you didn't!" Yang said firmly. "You were badly hurt, but you never abandoned your kids." A touch of bitterness entered her voice, which she tried to rein in. "Trust me. You can still make things right."

Willow looked into the fiery eyes of her daughter's soulmate and felt for a moment that some of this young woman's strength was flowing into her. "I can see why my daughter bonded to you," she murmured. "She needs someone like you."

Yang nodded, her expression softening. "And I need her."

Willow took Yang's hands in hers. "She'll be with us again soon. That lovely witch will see to it."

If Willow could have faith in anything, it was in Pyrrha, and in her still-vivid memories of flying on that wonderful cloud pine. How could one believe in anything but freedom after experiencing such a thing?

…

Pyrrha found the Gyptian ship on the river, a two-day walk from Vale. It was a safe enough distance, and probably as close as she could expect, given the circumstances. She noted that this vessel, while a family vessel, was completely absent of children. The captain, an old grandfather with a grizzled falcon dæmon, explained that they would remain on another ship until they were closer to the north.

"I'm glad," Pyrrha said sincerely. "This has gotten very complicated." She handed the old man a satchel of gold, payment beyond what she had already given them. "I want you to have this, as compensation for any unforeseen circumstances that may arise."

The man pocketed the gold with a nod. "Much obliged. I hope they get here safely. It's a damn shame, having to run from your own family. That man must be horrible to lose all three of his children in such a way."

"Did you ever meet Winter Schnee?" Pyrrha wondered.

"Nah, she was with a different family. Heard of her, though." His beard crinkled as he smiled. "A dainty little girl learning to work on a ship and forging the path to her own freedom. How can I not respect that? Helping her sister and brother would be an honor. Though, if I see any church guards coming for my ship, I'm casting off. My family comes first."

"I understand," Pyrrha said. "I'll get them here swiftly, and ahead of the guards."

With that promise, the witch mounted her cloud pine and hurried back toward Vale. Hermes flew beside her.

"Go to Whitley. Tell him that we will be freeing him and Weiss tomorrow night."

"Understood. How exactly will we free them?"

"Hopefully, the same way I freed Willow," Pyrrha replied. "Getting them out will be the easy part. The challenge will come after, when Jacques realizes they're missing and sends out a search party."

"It may be better for us to take them there directly by flight, and start the ship sailing," Hermes noted. "The others can meet us at the next port, provided they start early and can outdistance the guards."

"Ideally, they should leave immediately," Pyrrha sighed. "But, I can only carry one person at a time, so one of the Schnees will have to stay behind, and I won't allow them to travel alone, even with you accompanying them."

"A wise decision. There's only so much I'd be able to do alone," Hermes noted. "It's a shame we can't summon any of our fellow witches in time."

"If I had known that Weiss would be caught by her father, I would have asked them to come here with me," Pyrrha murmured. "It can't be helped now. With all that may happen, it's probably better that I act alone and leave the clan out of it."

The two parted ways, Hermes flying toward Schnee Manor, Pyrrha making her way toward the Faunus District. It would be wise to buy some time and distract the guards once the Schnee children were free. Thankfully, Sun had already made several offers to create such a distraction.

….

Whitley was sitting at the edge of his bed. His fists were clenched at his sides. Demetria paced back and forth at his feet, her fur bristling until her bushy tail seemed three times as big as it usually was.

This was it. They were leaving. Once Pyrrha came for him, he was officially going to become a runaway. His name, his future, his wealth… All of it would lose its meaning.

A small purse held all the money he had been able to set aside ever since he first decided to leave. It was more than many people would see in their lifetime, but he wasn't sure it would be enough.

What if his mother got sick? What if he had to bribe too many guards? What would living expenses be in the north? He had never had to worry about things like how much it cost to survive. He cursed his ignorance.

Still, this was the only option. He couldn't live under his father's thumb forever, especially not without his mother and sister.

He did feel a bit of regret for his not-quite-boyfriend, who he would be leaving behind. Pragmatically, their relationship would never have worked out, and writing letters was out of the question once he was north.

A few bags were packed on his bed. He had wanted to bring more, but Hermes had said that they would need to travel light. He had his dagger strapped to his side, and had packed several pairs of shoes, underpants, and a few valuables that he could possibly sell later on. It pained him that he only had two changes of clothes, but he would have to get used to a lot of things when living on a ship for several months.

His doorknob turned, and he stiffened. Demetria tried to flatten her fur, just in case it was a servant.

It wasn't. Slick as a shadow, Pyrrha slipped into the room. She nodded once at Whitley, who hurriedly gathered his things and followed her to the door.

"No one will see or hear me," the witch whispered to him. "I will try to keep you and Weiss within my ring of influence, but it won't be as strong in an area where people are actively aware of you. Try to stay quiet."

Whitley nodded, clutching Demetria against his chest for comfort. The fox dæmon snuggled close to him, letting out a whine only he could hear.

There were several locks on Weiss's door, but Pyrrha made quick work of them. Whitley barely suppressed an exclamation of surprise when he saw one of his father's personal guards slumped against the wall a few yards away, fast asleep with his burly dog dæmon. Another trick of the witch's, most likely.

Weiss had been waiting at the door when Pyrrha opened it, and immediately threw her arms around her friend's shoulders. Her face was wet with tears. "Thank goodness," she muttered, barely keeping from sobbing.

Demetria jumped from Whitley's arms and pressed her head against Anmut's feathery chest. The swan lowered his head to touch the fox's back. It was hard to tell which dæmon was in need of more comfort.

Weiss looked around as she stepped back. "Are we visible to others now?" She remembered the spell that Pyrrha had cast when first meeting Jaune.

"You are less likely to be noticed, but it won't do much good in a place where everyone is aware of you," Pyrrha explained. "We must hurry."

She handed Weiss a dagger sheathed in black leather. The young Schnee would need a way to protect herself, after all, and Whitley's spare dagger was currently in Willow's possession.

They rushed down the hallway, Weiss directing Pyrrha toward the cellar. Even if it was a known escape route now, it was still better than trying to leave through the front door. There was one more guard slumped against a nearby wall.

When Pyrrha opened the door to the musty cellar, Weiss finally allowed herself to breathe easily. This breath immediately froze and caught in her throat as they approached the stairs leading to the outer doors.

Slumped on the stairs, a half-empty bottle of wine in one hand, was Jacques Schnee.

He didn't look surprised to see them. His wolf dæmon, who was a bit more alert than him, was standing by his side, fur bristling, yellowing fangs showing.

"It's funny," he mused, as if he hadn't noticed his children and was whimsically talking to himself. "In a woman, wine evokes a ceasing of their natural hysteria. In a man, it creates a cooling of the mind."

He stood up, very unsteadily. Whitley and Weiss exchanged a horrified look. Somehow, Jacques was even more frightening like this, his voice trembling, his body not obeying him, looking so close to breaking. What had he been going through until now that they didn't see? Was he truly more affected by Willow's death than they had thought? Or, did he always drink his sorrows away, in a manner that was merely harder to detect than Willow's?

 _That doesn't matter!_ Weiss reminded herself fiercely. _Whatever else is wrong with him, he had no right to treat us the way he did. He deserves whatever suffering befalls him now. We will not be dragged down with him._ She reached for Whitley's hand and squeezed it.

Whitley shook himself out of his own stupor and nodded. "Father, we're leaving. You cannot stop us. Step aside."

Jacques let out a bark of laughter. "Oh, really? Perhaps, the six guards sitting outside can, then!"

"No, they won't," Pyrrha murmured.

Jacques looked around wildly before conveniently forgetting the voice and focusing on his children again. "I've been waiting, you know. Every night. I knew you'd try again. I can't lose what's left of my legacy."

Weiss felt a hot, burning rage behind her eyes, forcing out many angry tears. She drew Pyrrha's blade and stepped forward, heedless of the wolf's growl. "We aren't your legacy anymore. You lost your right to claim anything about us as yours when you chose to make us fear you, when you chose to pit us against each other, when you chose to beat us and put us down whenever we did the slightest thing wrong."

Jacques eyed the dagger, a bit of lucidity creeping into his expression, making it appear more dangerous and even more unhinged when combined with the lingering drunkenness. "You think you can kill a grown man, Weiss?"

"I don't know," Weiss murmured. "I won't kill you, regardless, but I will hurt you if you don't stand aside."

Whitley drew his dagger, feeling a little ashamed of how much his hand shook compared to his sister's. "A-As will I," he stammered. Memories of his father squeezing his ear and the gray wolf shaking Demetria like a doll were at the front of his mind, but he stood firm.

The cold, dreadful, lucid look in Jacques's eyes grew, and he reached to his belt, where his sword was. Before he could draw it, however, a person he could not see blew some powder into his face. His eyes rolled back as Pyrrha gently lowered him to the ground.

The gray wolf didn't immediately follow her human into slumber, however. In a last, desperate effort, she lunged wildly at Demetria, grabbing the fox by the scruff.

Seeing his sister dæmon being attacked, Anmut felt his mind turn to burning whiteness. His wings spread out. His neck straightened until it resembled a lance. He charged.

There was a high, unholy yelp. There was the smell of blood. The gray wolf collapsed to the ground, letting out a strangled yowl of pain. A black-red trail streamed down her face, down from where her right eye had once been.

Anmut dropped his bloody trophy with a shudder. A faint, flickering light shined on the amber iris, giving the illusion of life. Then, it turned to golden dust and faded away, as if it had never been.

Swallowing the bile that threatened to rise in her throat, Weiss walked shakily around her father's prone form. She looked down at him one last time. Even in a drugged sleep, Jacques looked angry, like there was always something to hate, something he needed to hurt in order to feel better and stronger.

For a moment, a very brief moment, Weiss felt sorry for him.

Then, she turned away, following Pyrrha into the chilly fall air. That first breath of a leaf-scented breeze seemed to hold the very essence of freedom. Weiss could feel it melting into a sweet taste on her tongue, like a delicate frosting flower from one of her brother's sweets.

Pyrrha led them past the sleeping guards, through the fence, and into the streets. Loud, violent sounds could be heard from the Faunus District.

"Sun was kind enough to start a riot close to the border," Pyrrha explained. "They're safe, don't worry, but it should be enough to keep the church guards occupied."

Weiss found herself looking toward the erupting Faunus District with a deep sense of regret. As she was escaping into a hopeful future, so many people would still be stuck under the thumb of people like Jacques.

 _Someday,_ she thought. _Someday, when I'm a more powerful person, I'll come back and make things better for the people here._

As they hurried along the streets, Weiss felt a joyful tug in her soulbond and started to run faster. Yang was close!

Just as her excitement hit its peak, a familiar form stepped out from around the corner of a building. Yang's grin was so wide, it looked like it could break free of her face at any moment. She hurried over, sweeping Weiss into her arms and kissing her soundly on the mouth.

Weiss moaned as she was blissfully flooded with her soulmate's burning warmth. She had missed this so much! She tangled her fingers in Yang's unruly hair and tugged gently.

Yang pressed her soulmate's slender form as close to her as possible, as if she could somehow meld them into one being that could never be separated if she pressed hard enough. She kissed Weiss desperately, striving to erase every memory of the past few hopeless days, trying to fill her with nothing but the love and joy she so clearly deserved.

Yong Shi tackled Anmut to the ground and nuzzled the swan's pearly feathers, purring so loudly, the sounds from the District were briefly muffled. Anmut stroked the lion's mane with his beak, arching his neck as it was roughly caressed by a sandpapery tongue.

Whitley glanced to the side, his cheeks heating up at such a blatant display of affection. It wasn't proper in the slightest. Yet, he could also feel a smile coming to his face. He hadn't thought he would ever see his sister so happy again.

Weiss was pulled too quickly from Yang's exuberant, breathtaking kiss by Pyrrha.

"We need to keep moving," the witch said, though her eyes shined with understanding. "One of you needs to go with Yang. I will take the other to the ship. It's two days from here, and I think we can all agree that the two of you need to be as far as possible from Vale by morning. The others will meet you at the next port and cast off immediately. Who wants to go first?"

"Take Weiss!" "Take Whitley!"

The siblings spoke at the same time, without hesitation.

Weiss folded her arms stubbornly. "This whole thing is my fault, Whitley. I will not run away while my little brother is in danger."

"You made _one_ mistake!" Whitley snapped. "We all have! The only difference is that you happened to get caught. That's not even the point, though. You're in the most danger if you're captured. If the worst should happen, it's better if I'm taken back. Father won't have doctors cut open his only heir, after all."

He grinned wryly. "Besides, it wasn't my dæmon who took out the she-wolf's eye."

Yang's eyes widened. "Wait, Anmut did what?!" She bent down to pat the swan's head. "Glad my lessons have been paying off."

Anmut leaned into Yang's palm, even as he regretfully agreed with Whitley. "You'll be lighter for Pyrrha to carry," he noted. "I can fly alongside you." The thought, admittedly, thrilled him. Despite being a bird, he had never flown due to the basic need to remain close to his human.

Weiss saw the wisdom in her dæmon's words, even though she hated them. She wanted Whitley to be safe. She wanted to spend more time with Yang before she was whisked away to wait fitfully for her friends to catch up. But, there was nothing to be done. She kissed Yang once more and hugged Yong Shi before joining Pyrrha on her cloud pine.

"Are you ready?" Pyrrha asked.

"No, but let's go." Weiss glanced over her shoulder. "I love you both."

"I love you too, Weiss," Whitley said, managing to keep his voice from shaking.

Yang just nodded. Her feelings were perfectly clear as they traveled through their soulbond, which was still tingling with Weiss's last touch to Yong Shi. She felt a pang as Pyrrha took off, followed by Anmut, and the bond was stretched once again. She quickly shook herself, however. She had to focus on getting Whitley to safety. Blake and the others could only distract the guards for so long.

Everyone was waiting outside the Arc house. Jaune was in the process of hugging his parents and sisters goodbye. A pale form hurried forward as Yang and Whitley came into view.

It was Willow, but Whitley didn't recognize her for a moment. Her cheeks were flushed. Varian's eyes were bright. Most shockingly, she was smiling, really and truly smiling!

"Whitley!" she gasped, pulling him into a hug as she started to sob. "I'm so, so sorry!"

Whitley hugged her back tightly. "Don't apologize, Mother. It was all his fault. He won't hurt us ever again!"

"I know," Willow breathed. "For the first time, I really know that."

"I suppose we need to…leave…now…" Whitley trailed off as he saw something, or rather, someone. Someone who immediately became the most important person there, including his mother.

It was Ruby. And Baynar. They were both staring at Whitley, eyes wide and unblinking. The dingo dæmon let out a plaintive whine as he gazed at Demetria, whose bushy tail was lashing back and forth.

Whitley walked slowly toward her, as if in a trance, wondering what had changed.

No, nothing had changed. He had just finally reached a point where he realized something he had been desperately missing. When had that been? When Demetria had settled?

The fox bounded over to Baynar, pressing her head to his chest while he licked her brow, his tail wagging. Whitley, meanwhile, reached for Ruby's hand.

His soulmate took it and smiled, immediately filling Whitley's soul with silver, roses, sunlight, and the promise that everything would truly be better from now on.

Ruby blushed a little at the intensity of Whitley's stare, but she met his gaze gladly. "Hi, Whitley. I'm glad you're okay," she whispered. It was a simple sentiment that carried so much suppressed joy and anticipation for what their future would hold.

Whitley nodded slowly. He didn't even realize he was crying until Ruby reached up with a small, gentle, calloused hand to brush his tears away. As he looked into those silver eyes, he could feel the nature of their bond, even without touching Baynar.

Ruby would be the friend who would be by his side his whole life. A confidant. A comrade. A sister in all but blood. Someone he could rely on when all else failed him.

"Hello, Ruby," he breathed, leaning gladly into her hand, feeling the strength that lay there, and the courage that could one day become his as well. "I'm glad you're here."

 **One of the reasons this chapter took so long is that I had a hell of a time figuring out Jackass was going to be defeated. I couldn't imagine him just wandering the halls at night and catching them on accident, but I couldn't just have Weiss and Whitley leave without that last confrontation. So, I went with the paranoid approach. I can imagine someone like Jacques abusing alcohol and/or drugs, but doing a better job of hiding it to the public. And, after what happened with Willow, he'd probably be even more terrified of something else happening, but would have to stand guard in a way so that his employees wouldn't see his weakened state.**

 **I decided against killing him, as that would have caused a whole other slew of problems for Weiss and Whitley. Also, I felt that leaving him alone, broken, and with a mangled dæmon was a better punishment.**

 **See you guys next time!**

 **Peace out!**


	23. The Dingo's Faith

**Greetings, my lovelies! I told you I'd be on time this week! I hope you're ready for more Whitley/Ruby soulmate friendship goodness!**

 **Enjoy!**

For the first time in her life, Weiss found herself wishing she was a witch.

Before, she had certainly admired Pyrrha and held a good amount of envy for the various skills she had. Now, however, as she soared through the sky on a cloud pine, watching her dæmon flying through the night sky like a brand of ivory against the blackness, she wanted nothing more than the ability to stay aloft forever.

There was a shift in the air current, which caused the cloud pine to dip suddenly. Instead of getting scared, Weiss let out a very unladylike whoop of excitement at the turbulence.

Pyrrha smiled at her friend's obvious joy. "Your mother liked flying as well," she noted.

Weiss imagined her mother in the air, soaring through the sky after those horrible days at the asylum, and hugged Pyrrha around the middle. "Thank you again for saving her. For saving us. I will forever be in your debt."

Pyrrha glanced over her shoulder. "You aren't in any debt, Weiss. We're friends."

"I know," Weiss said. "Just the same, if you ever need help, and it's in my power to help you, I hope you won't hesitate to ask."

"If I ever need your help, I will ask," Pyrrha promised. "For now, let's focus on getting you to safety. The Gyptian family who will be hosting you is very kind, so you won't have to worry about waiting with them."

"I'm not," Weiss said. And she wasn't. If Pyrrha trusted these people, that was good enough for her.

Pyrrha felt a sharp, painful pang in her chest. "Jaune must be saying his last farewells," she murmured. If there was one thing she regretted about this whole thing, it was separating Jaune from his family.

"That must be difficult, but I'm sure they can visit him," Weiss reasoned. "Nothing is forbidding them from traveling, after all. The secrecy is on my and Whitley's account." She felt another flash of guilt, which Yang, wherever she currently was, countered with wordless reassurance. "Perhaps, we can arrange something once we're all settled."

"I would like to," Pyrrha said. She looked down as the ground below became darker and darker, as they drew further from the city. "We'll be in the air for a few hours. Try not to fall asleep. I can catch you if you fall, but the whole ordeal will still be rather unpleasant."

Weiss shuddered at the thought. "Don't worry. I won't." Truthfully, she was far too exhilarated to even consider falling asleep. The simple fact that she would never see Schnee Manor again, would never feel her father's overly-manicured hand on her face, would never be stared down by the gray wolf's cold amber eyes, still felt like a dream.

She thought about Yang, about that night they had shared before everything went wrong. They could do that every night once they had their own home, and they wouldn't even have to sneak around. The thought made her nearly giddy with pleasure, and she reined in her thoughts to keep herself from swooning. That would basically have the same end result as falling asleep, after all.

Anmut banked so that he was closer to the pine. Every now and then, the wind moved him a little too far away from Weiss, causing both of them to feel the painful, maddening tug that wouldn't relent until they were closer together.

"You fly so naturally," Weiss noted. "Even though you've never flown as a swan."

"I suppose it's instinct," Anmut speculated. "I never had trouble flying when we were children and I turned into smaller birds."

"I suppose so." Weiss looked at the stars, which looked close enough to grasp. "You were marvelous, you know. Back at the Manor."

Anmut ducked his head. "I didn't like doing it, even though she did deserve it." By "she," he of course meant the gray wolf.

"She did," Weiss agreed. "But, I didn't enjoy it either. I didn't like threatening Father like that, even though part of me enjoyed finally standing up to him. Yang has been teaching me to become stronger, but I suppose I have a long way to go."

"Your feelings don't make you weak," Pyrrha said, glancing over her shoulder. "Not wanting to cause pain is what makes you different from your father. You didn't want to hurt him, but you did what you had to do. No one can fault you for that, and no one can fault you for any feelings you may have for your father."

"I don't love him," Weiss admitted. "I stopped loving him a long time ago. Still, there was always a part of me that hoped he would change. Now, I mostly feel sorry for him, even though he doesn't deserve my sympathy."

"People rarely get exactly what they deserve," Pyrrha noted. "We can only do the best we can with each day that is given to us, and hope that fate will do the rest."

Weiss looked at her dæmon and back at the stars. Below her, the country was stretching out. Behind her was a life she was all too happy to throw away. Ahead of her was the boat that would finally take her to freedom.

She supposed that fate was doing her several favors just then. She would have to make sure to not take them for granted.

….

Jaune hugged his mom and dad tightly, not wanting to let go, but knowing that it was inevitable. "You guys take care. Make sure to run if anyone starts suspecting you of helping the Schnees, okay?"

"We've made preparations, just in case," Johann assured him. "But we should be fine. Just hurry up and catch that boat."

Jaune's youngest sisters, Katie, Jenny, and little Silvia, were clinging to his legs. Their dæmons were clustered around Eliana, as if to keep her from going anywhere, all in the form of squirrels of various colors.

"Come on. It's time for me to go." Jaune hugged them once moer. "I'll write to you guys all the time, I promise!"

Silvia was sobbing as her mother picked her up.

Jaune's older sisters hugged him next. "Name the first girl you two have after me," Sapphire muttered into his ear, making him roll his eyes and blush a little.

As he walked away to lead his friends to the river, he felt a tug in his heart nearly as painful as the one he felt whenever Pyrrha had to leave his side. He was leaving behind his family for a long, necessary journey into the unknown. He looked at Whitley and Ruby, who hadn't let go of each other's hands since they first saw each other, and at Yang, who wanted nothing more than to finally be with Weiss again. He had to keep them safe and push forward.

Eliana climbed to his shoulder and curled her gray tail around his, nudging his cheek comfortingly. "We can do this," she whispered.

"I know," he murmured. A flush of loving warmth that came through his soulbond from Pyrrha reinforced that statement.

Carrying several bags each, the group set off toward the river.

After about an hour of travel, Whitley started asking when they could take a break.

"We've got a way to go, Whitley," Ruby said. "I know you can handle it." She squeezed his hand, though she couldn't help but notice the way her new soulmate kept stumbling.

Yang snorted. "I don't blame him. Look at those shoes!"

"What's wrong with my shoes?" Whitley asked, momentarily indignant enough to ignore his blistering toes. "They are of the highest-quality leather, I can assure you!"

"Yeah, and they're useless for walking," Yang said. "We need to find you a decent pair of walking boots the first chance we get."

Whitley looked mournfully at his shoes. They were the most practical ones he owned, but they still were more for show than for function. The embroidery on the sides suddenly looked rather silly and unnecessary.

"Don't worry," Ruby assured him. "Yang can carry you if you get too tired."

"When did I agree to this?" Yang huffed.

"Hey, you carry me!"

"Yeah, because you're my sister."

"Well, Whitley's my soulmate, so I say he gets all my sisterly privileges!" Ruby declared. "So, nyuh!" She stuck out her tongue for good measure.

"Thank you. I think I can manage," Whitley muttered. He was dreading the hours of walking ahead of him, but at least he could maintain some of his dignity. He wouldn't ask to be carried by anyone, unless he was horribly injured somehow. At that point, of course, his shoes would be the least of his worries.

"Ruby, I was wondering if you could explain the nature of this soulmate concept to me," he ventured. "I know only a little, enough to know that it isn't a romantic connection."

"Nope!" Ruby affirmed. "It's whatever works best for the soulmates. Yang and Weiss ended up being romantic, and so did Pyrrha and Jaune. I'm not sure what it'll be for us. My theory is that we'll know after a few days of being bonded."

"It probably won't be a romantic bond," Whitley admitted. "I…prefer men." It felt so weird to be saying it out loud. He half expected a church official to materialize and start berating him.

"I like both," Ruby replied. "I can't imagine what it was like having to keep that a secret from your dad."

"It was pretty awful," Whitley sighed. "I had someone I was seeing occasionally. When Father found out, he…" His free hand absentmindedly touched his eye, which was finally healing from the bruising it had received.

Ruby paused in her walking long enough to hug Whitley. "That's awful. If you want, you could share my dad. He already likes you, and Weiss is gonna be my sister-in-law eventually anyway."

"Ruby!" Yang snapped, her face turning red while Yong Shi tossed his mane.

"Oh, you know I'm right!"

Whitley laughed a little at the two, wondering if this would be his dynamic with Weiss after a few months away from their father. He looked down at Demetria and Baynar, whose tails were entwined as they walked together. "So, the part about touching each other's dæmons…" He trailed off. Even now, it felt like a breach of decency to think about it.

"It's how we make the bond," Ruby explained. "We can sense each other's feelings, and know each other better than anyone else."

"Huh…" Whitley glanced down at Demetria. "What if…you don't like what you see?" Ruby started to open her mouth, and he held up a finger. "And, don't say you know you'll like me, no matter what. This is a serious question."

Ruby closed her mouth, thought about it for a moment, then answered slowly. "I guess…we'll just work through it. I mean, soulmates are meant to make each other the best possible people they can be. I guess we'll just help each other fix our flaws."

"I suppose." Whitley nodded slowly. "Should we make the bond before Pyrrha comes back for me?"

"I mean…" Ruby hesitated. She absolutely wanted to complete the bond as soon as possible. She had nothing to hide, and the thought of being separated from her soulmate so soon after meeting him, especially under such dangerous circumstances, didn't appeal to her. Still, she didn't want to pressure him. "We'll have plenty of time on the ship, if you're not ready now."

"I…" Whitley looked down at Demetria. He could feel her longing for Ruby's gentle hands on her fur, as well as his own desire to hold Baynar's strong, sturdy form in his arms. "We can discuss it when we stop to rest."

"Okay," Ruby said, and they walked in comfortable silence after that, not letting go of each other's hands, even when their palms started to sweat.

…

It was late morning when Weiss saw the Gyptian ship for the first time.

She had never been allowed near the Gyptians, due to her father's extreme prejudice against their "heathen, nomadic ways." She had always imagined them living in cramped boats that were barely large enough to fit all of their children. Even when planning her escape, she had resigned herself to months of discomfort before reaching her desired freedom.

The reality, however, couldn't have been more different.

While not a huge, luxurious boat, like what Jacques might own, it was much bigger than she had expected it to be. The surface was clean and well-tended. The masts towered like pillars, with folded sails that were as white as Anmut's feathers. There was an aura surrounding the ship that reminded Weiss of Jaune's home: friendly, familial, and comfortable.

The family was sitting around a fire, a well-used, but well-kept tent set up behind them. An old grandfather, who was clearly the patriarch, stood up and waved as Pyrrha descended.

"We were wondering when you'd get here, Pyrrha!" he called. His falcon dæmon ruffled her feathers as she eyed Anmut. "So, this is the Schnee child, eh? How's the weather up there, lass?"

"Fine, thank you," Weiss replied with a smile. The Gyptian man's friendly manner was immediately putting her at ease. "I hope you haven't been waiting long."

The patriarch chuckled. "We can handle long waits. We do fish for many of our meals, after all." He held out his hand. "Poseidon Faa. A pleasure to meet you."

Weiss shook his hand, trying to match his strong grip. "Weiss Schnee. The pleasure is mine, sir. I hope I can be of assistance to your family on the journey north."

Faa grinned. "Oh, don't worry about that. There's no shortage of work on our boats, to be sure. For now, though, have a seat and rest. We're grilling some fine river eels for supper."

"Oh?" Weiss tried to keep her expression neutral.

A young woman who was sitting by the fire, likely Faa's daughter, noticed Weiss's concealed surprise and laughed. "Don't worry. It's not slimy at all."

Pyrrha chuckled. "It's actually quite good." She hugged Weiss. "I'd better go fetch your brother. Get some rest in the meantime."

"I will. Thank you," Weiss murmured, hugging her friend back before stepping away. She watched Pyrrha disappear into the air, and let out a sigh, wishing she could fly for a bit longer.

She sat down next to Faa's children and accepted a plate of roasted eel. It actually smelled nice. There was a smoky scent combined with what seemed to be a sweet and spicy sauce. Anmut settled down and started getting acquainted with the other dæmons as Weiss took a bite.

"Wow!" she gasped. "This is amazing!" She was rewarded with another heartening smile from Poseidon Faa.

…

Whitley and Ruby sat across from each other, their eyes darting from each other's faces to each other's dæmons. Demetria and Baynar impatiently pawed at the ground as they waited for their humans to finally let them do what every fiber of their being was begging them to do.

 _How did Yang and Yong Shi wait so long to bond with Weiss and Anmut?_ Baynar wondered. _I'm going crazy already!_

It was Ruby who urged Baynar forward first. She could see the hesitance on Whitley's face, but she also understood wanting to hurry along with the bond, just in case something happened once Pyrrha came back. If Whitley bonded to Baynar first, it might make things a little easier for him.

The dingo dæmon padded over to Whitley, his tail wagging. He whined softly, bringing his head close to Whitley's folded hands, then pausing.

Whitley took a deep breath, then placed a shaking hand on Baynar's brow.

Immediately he was flooded with emotions he had never thought were possible in any rational human being: exhilarating happiness, unshakeable hope, and a sense of simple wonder at the world around him. Was this what Ruby felt all the time? No wonder she was always smiling! How could anyone be unhappy when filled with such a naïve belief in the goodness of the world?

Despite its naivety, it didn't feel like something Whitley could scoff at, though he definitely would have done so under normal circumstances. Coming from Ruby, it felt weirdly believable and magical, in the way a fairy tale is.

He hugged Baynar closer, wanting to drink in more of that totally unrealistically plausible happiness, wanting it to block out the anger and cynicism that tainted most of his thoughts.

Ruby gasped at the sensation of her dæmon being held. She could feel Whitley's cool, shaking hands pressing deep within her, opening her mind and soul in a way it had never been opened before. She trembled, feeling overwhelmed for a moment. When she looked at her soulmate's face, however, and saw the totally new, pure smile that was there, she knew this was exactly where and how she wanted to be.

Demetria trembled with delight as she felt her human's happiness, bounding over to Ruby, unable to contain herself any longer. She felt Whitley's slightly-muddled assent, and pressed her head against Ruby's palm.

Ruby's eyes widened as her mind abruptly melded with a mind that was unlike hers in every way. Where she had always been cheery and hopeful, this mind was scarred and jaded. Even now, with all the good that was happening, Whitley found it hard to believe that any of this was real, that he truly deserved any of the happiness he was feeling. He was so used to hiding and being put down and having the smallest sources of joy being snatched away and replaced with more fear.

Even now, there was a cloud of doubt in his mind, a fear of rejection, because how could someone like Ruby possibly want to have someone like him as a soulmate?

Without a second thought, Ruby picked up Demetria and kissed her between her pointed ears. She heard Whitley's breath catch. Closing her eyes, she tried to get across her feelings as well as she could: Yes, she accepted him. No, she didn't think less of him for being angry, for being afraid, or for being sad. In fact, seeing just how deep his hurt was made her want to help him even more. She was here for him. She was his friend for life. He didn't have to be afraid anymore.

Whitley wept as he clung to Baynar, as the dingo licked the tears from his face. He felt Ruby's joy in finding him. He felt her determination to be there for him, no matter what. He couldn't help but feel that the bond was a bit one-sided: He couldn't see anything about Ruby that he could improve.

Ruby sent soothing thoughts his way. Just because Whitley was the one who needed her the most now, didn't mean she wouldn't need him in the future. She could sense things in Whitley that he himself couldn't see: a steady mind and a good, logical sense of his surroundings. He was someone who could keep her grounded, someone who could meld with her hope and love of the world and add just enough rationality to help her learn how to make her dreams real.

They were a perfect match. Ruby knew that with all her heart.

The bond was made none too soon, as Pyrrha returned less than an hour later. She found Whitley and Ruby walking together at the back of the group, their dæmons darting between their legs, and smiled. _I thought so._

She held out her hand to Whitley. "Come, Whitley. Your sister is waiting. You'll see Ruby in a few days. I promise."

Whitley nodded. Before, such a promise would seem a bit frivolous. With Ruby's mind gently affecting his, he found himself able to believe it.

He shared a hug with his soulmate while their dæmons said their goodbyes. "Be careful," he warned. "We aren't safe yet."

"I know," Ruby murmured. "I'll be fine. I've got Yang."

Her unshaking faith in Yang's strength was something they could both share.

Whitley got up onto the cloud pine, pausing uncertainly, not sure what he could hold onto.

"Just wrap your arms around my waist," Pyrrha urged.

Whitley flushed. "Isn't that a bit indecent?"

Pyrrha rolled her eyes. "Not if I give you permission. Come on."

"O-Okay," Whitley awkwardly held onto Pyrrha as the cloud pine started to move upward.

Ruby waved goodbye, feeling a thrill of fear through the new soulbond and hearing a muffled shout of terror before Whitley was borne away. Her heart ached, and Baynar whined plaintively. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Yang smiling down at her.

"Let's hurry, sis," Yang said, her own eyes shining with longing for her soulmate, giving her sister's shoulder a sympathetic squeeze.

A slight grin came to her face. "The quicker we are, the sooner we catch up to our favorite Schneeblings." Yong Shi let out a chuff of laughter at the pun, his eyes glittering with mirth.

Ruby groaned while Baynar flopped on the ground, playing dead.

 **Two more weeks to go! Once these next two chapters and my two commissions are done, your favorite dragon will be going into hibernation. Worry not, however! They will be coming back bigger and better than ever!**

 **Peace out!**


	24. The Swan's Freedom

**Helloooooo, my lovelies! We're on the final stretch of this beauty. By final stretch, I mean that next week is the epilogue. Thank you again for joining me on my first foray into the world of dæmon AUs. And please read** _ **His Dark Materials.**_ **Seriously. It's amazing.**

 **Enjoy!**

It was on the second day of travel when Jaune learned from Hermes that the guards were in pursuit. Though Pyrrha had erased all traces of the group from the path, and the Arc residence, the guards weren't stupid. They knew that the river provided the best possible escape route for a pair of runaways such as the Schnees. Also, Winter's prior escape with the Gyptians wasn't quite as private of an occurrence as Jacques wished it was.

Though both of the Schnee siblings were safely at the Gyptian ship, this news was enough to make the rest of the group hurry along even more. If the guards managed to catch the ship before it could set off, it would be all over. The sooner they got to the meeting point and set sail, the better.

Ruby kept tapping into her bond with Whitley, reassuring her soulmate that they were coming closer and that everything would be okay. She could tell that he was on the ground again, since the exhilarated fear that had filled him on Pyrrha's cloud pine was finally absent.

"So, how's it feel having your own soulmate, sis?" Yang asked as she walked alongside her unusually-pensive sister.

"Pretty good," Ruby said honestly. "Kinda weird, though. Do you ever get used to having a constant mental connection with someone?"

"You can turn it off and on, if you need to," Yang noted. "Pyrrha told me. I just haven't turned mine off, since I knew Weiss needed to know I was thinking about her."

"Whitley thinks he doesn't deserve me," Ruby sighed. "He thinks he's going to be a burden to me."

"That makes sense," Yang said. "With how much he's been put down, it's no wonder his self-esteem is so low. I mean, remember how unsure Weiss was at first? Whitley's lucky to have someone like you, who accepts him without question."

Once again, Yang found herself thinking back to how judgmental and unintentionally cruel she had been to Weiss at first. Her eyes lowered shamefully. Yong Shi nudged her hand, purring comfortingly.

"I'm really glad our bond is probably just going to be a friendship thing," Ruby admitted. "You and Weiss are adorable, but I'm not sure I'm ready for a super-intense romance just yet."

Yang ruffled her hair. "You're young. You've got time."

"What do you think it'll be like for me and Whitley, when we fall in love with other people, I mean?" Ruby wondered. "Will our bond make it hard?"

"Probably not," Yang guessed. "Whoever you end up with will hopefully have already found their soulmates, and they'll hopefully be platonic too. So, they'll know exactly what you're feeling, and won't have any problems."

Ruby smiled up at her sister. "You always have an answer, don't you?"

Yang snorted. "Yeah, I wish!"

It was past evening when they finally stopped to rest near an abandoned dock a few miles from the nearest town. According to Hermes, this was where the Gyptian ship had been moored while waiting for Weiss and Whitley. It had moved on to the next dock, which was further away from the nearby town, and would be a more discreet spot for the rest of the group to board.

There were many footprints, telling them that the town guards had likely been there, but there was no sign of a struggle and no distress coming through Yang and Ruby's soulbonds, so they knew that the ship had moved on before the guards arrived.

Taiyang found them there, and gave his daughters a final hug. "Blake and the others made it," he told them. "Qrow is guiding them north along his usual trading road. I'm supposed to meet them in Patch. You guys probably shouldn't stay here for too long, just in case the guards come back."

He looked at Ruby. "Honey, are you sure you don't want to go with me?"

Ruby shook her head firmly. "Nope! I gotta stay with my soulmate."

Taiyang's eyes widened. "Wait, your soulmate?"

"Yep," Yang said. "Turns out we were right about Whitley, after all."

Taiyang hugged Ruby again, beaming. "That's wonderful, sweetie! Make sure you look out for each other, okay?"

"We will," Ruby promised. "Take care of Blake, Sun, and Ilia!"

"I will." Taiyang kissed her forehead. Thora was cuddling one last time with Yong Shi and Baynar before stepping back, her large ears flicking.

He noticed Willow sitting a short distance away with Klein. Her hands were shaking as she took a sip from a wine bottle, likely provided to calm her nerves.

"Say, why didn't Pyrrha take her to the ship?" he wondered. Willow looked to be in need of assistance more than anyone.

"She offered," Yang said. "But, Mrs. Schnee insisted on making the journey on her own. She didn't want the ship to stay docked by the town any longer than it had to be." Considering the recent guard footprints, that had likely been a wise decision.

"Everyone else thinks she's dead, anyway," Jaune added. "So, no one's going to be looking for her. As long as she keeps her hood up, and we don't get caught, we should be fine."

Taiyang turned to Jaune. "Well, if things go badly, look after my girls, okay?"

"They'll probably end up looking after me," Jaune replied honestly. "But, I'll try. See you in the north, sir."

"Yes, you will," Taiyang said, his grin one of full confidence. At this point, it was hard to be worried. Weiss and Whitley were safely away, and Taiyang may or may not have set up a false trail for the guards in town before coming to the docks. Placing one hand on his dæmon's back, he walked back toward the paths further inland.

…..

Whitley stared mournfully at his hands, which were decorated with fresh rope burns. He hadn't even been gripping that tightly when he had helped one of Faa's sons hoist the sail.

Poseidon noticed and let out a booming laugh. "Don't worry, lad. Those baby hands of yours will have some good, honest callouses on them once I'm through with you." He nodded toward Weiss, who was emerging from below deck, looking more than a little frazzled. "Same goes for your sister."

"Do you think we could switch?" Whitley asked desperately. "I can help your daughters with the stew."

"Know your way around a kitchen, boy?"

"I certainly do!" Whitley declared.

Poseidon grinned. "Well, hop to it, then. Missy! Get over here! I need help scrubbing the deck!"

"Yes, sir," Weiss replied readily. She was honestly happy for an excuse to not be in the overly-steamy kitchen any longer. "Good luck," she muttered to Whitley as he hurried past him.

"Same to you," he panted.

Weiss approached Poseidon, ready to accept a scrubbing brush and do her share of the work, though her hands were already starting to hurt. She noticed the old Gyptian staring out at the land, squinting hard against the darkness.

She joined him, trying to see what he was seeing. Her eyes weren't very keen, but she thought she noticed a flash of movement coming from the shore. "What is it?" she whispered.

"We're being followed," Poseidon sighed.

"Followed?!" Panic seized Weiss's chest. "People from the church?"

"Nah. If they were church guards, they'd be demanding we pull over. I'm pretty sure these are bandits. They're going to ambush us at the next port."

Weiss swallowed loudly. "What can we do to stop them?"

"We got two options," Faa grumbled. "Either we keep going to another port further down and make your friends travel even longer, possibly coming across the bandits themselves, or we port as planned and fight if we're attacked."

The choice seemed pretty easy to Weiss. "My soulmate has been teaching me how to fight. I'll assist in any way I can."

The old patriarch chuckled. "I like you, lass. Got a good fire in ya."

Weiss flushed at the praise. "Thank you. The fire comes from Yang, mostly."

When they reached the dock, it was late at night. Poseidon tethered the ship and was quick to start a fire nearby. His sword was belted to his side, and all of his children except his youngest son stood with him. Weiss and Whitley remained with the youngest son on the boat, their own weapons ready to draw if anyone tried to board the ship.

A whir in the air was the only warning given before Poseidon and his children abruptly ducked. There was a thunk as a throwing knife embedded itself into the wood of the boat.

"Come outta there!" Faa snarled, brandishing his blade. "Fight in the open like men!"

There was more movement in the trees. There was a moment of tension, likely consisting of the bandits weighing their options. Then, just as sudden as a flash of lightning, the thieves sprung from the woods and at their intended prey.

Weiss watched, gripping Pyrrha's dagger in one hand, her other clenched in a tight fist. She winced as Poseidon deftly dodged a blow from one man, whose cat dæmon was hissing loudly at Faa's hawk, who swooped down with a screech.

One of the bandits broke away and sprinted down the dock toward the boat, likely hoping to take the apparently weaker crew members hostage. Faa's youngest son stepped in front and met the man's knife with a blade of his own.

The two circled each other. Weiss belatedly noticed that this bandit was a Faunus. A bushy tail bristled in the moonlight while large eyes reflected the moon in ways that no human's could.

Steeling herself, remembering what Yang taught her, Weiss lunged. She kicked out, aiming for the inner curve of the bandit's knee. She heard an oof as the man fell to the ground.

Faa's son shot her a grin as he picked up the man by the scruff. "Oy!" he called. "You want your friend? Drop your weapons and go back where you came from!"

The bandits paused. This would be the moment when they showed their true colors. Would they abandon their pursuit for the sake of their companion, or did they not care about him at all?

One of the thieves edged to one side, then tried to grab Faa's daughter, who easily knocked him back. The others bolted, keeping their weapons tightly in their grips as they ran.

The Faunus went limp in the son's hand, his tail drooping. Weiss and Whitley couldn't help but feel sorry for him, despite everything. His friends had abandoned him, and he didn't even have a dæmon to turn to for comfort.

Faa's son let out a noise of disgust as his family approached. "What should we do with him?"

The Faunus whimpered, struggling in the stronger man's grip. His eyes fell on the woman who tripped him, and widened. "Y-You're a Schnee!" he gasped.

"We can't let him go," Poseidon murmured.

"Don't kill him," Weiss found herself saying.

One of the daughters raised an eyebrow. "He'll sell your whereabouts for a copper, you know."

"Not if we let him go after we leave. He can't do much after that," Whitley reasoned. "We'll be long gone." Now that the fight was over, he too was feeling very hesitant about killing anyone.

"I won't tell!" the Faunus said desperately. "No Faunus with a head on his shoulders is gonna go anywhere near Jacques Schnee or the Church! You gotta know that!"

"That is true," one of the daughters allowed.

"I suppose we can keep him tied up," Poseidon sighed. "It'd be easier to kill him, though."

"Easier isn't always right," Whitley noted. "I've learned that the hard way over the years."

"So be it." The order was given to tie up the bandit until the others arrived.

The Faunus swallowed loudly as he sat propped against one of the poles of the dock, staring from Weiss to Whitley. "Why'd you do that? Your kind hate us."

"We don't have a kind anymore," Weiss said. "We're leaving the Schnee name behind us. If you're smart, you'll do the same with your current career choice."

The Faunus gaped before a wide, toothy grin spread across his face. "Running out on old man Schnee? Now, that's a story worth hearing." His red, bushy tail curled around his feet as he grimaced at the ropes cutting into his wrists and ankles.

"Didn't wanna hurt anybody," he muttered sullenly. "Those boys promised pay if I could lend them a hand."

"Money isn't always worth it," Whitley said.

"Try saying that when you've lived on an empty stomach for nearly a week," the Faunus snarled.

Both Whitley and Weiss flinched. Weiss glanced over her shoulder to see one of Faa's daughters approaching with two bowls of soup. "Could you bring some for the prisoner, please?" she asked.

"We're gonna be rationed for the next few days," she replied.

"He can have mine," Whitley piped up. "I'm not hungry."

The Faunus shot him a shocked look. The daughter shrugged as she knelt in front of the bandit and started feeding him from one of the bowls.

Weiss immediately offered her bowl to Whitley, who accepted half of her share only under a stern glare. They noticed tears trickling down the Faunus's face as he ate, and quickly turned away, not wanting to embarrass him.

Over the next few hours, Whitley found himself occupying the Faunus, whose name was Renard. They developed a surprisingly-quick rapport.

 _I suppose one could say we are similar,_ Whitley thought, glancing at Renard's fox tail. _If what people say is true, an adult Faunus's animal feature represents what their dæmon would have been._ Demetria didn't have any trouble sitting near the prisoner. He didn't strike them as the type of person to grab a dæmon. In fact, he moved his tail back so that it wouldn't accidentally brush against the little arctic fox.

Eventually, after Weiss assured him that it couldn't do any more harm, Whitley started telling the Faunus about their recent escape and what had led up to it. Faa seemed happy enough to just let him talk to the prisoner. _Probably because I'm next to useless at most of their chores,_ Whitley thought a little sheepishly.

Renard listened to Whitley, a steady frown forming on his face. This expression was occasionally broken with a grin or laugh, usually when something unfortunate befell Jacques in the story, but he remained surprisingly solemn throughout.

Near the end, he let out a whoop and called out to Weiss. "I heard that old wolf had lost an eye! That was you?! You're okay in my book, kid!"

"That's basically it," Whitley said with a sigh. "Now, we're here."

"Damn," Renard sighed, sobering a little. "And here I thought you money-types had it all made. I've had it rough, but my papa loved me while he was still here." He scuffed one of his tied feet on the dock, and Whitley loosened the ropes just a little. "I always thought of going north, but the journey's too dangerous for one guy, and I was never able to snag a ship before."

"We don't have any more room," one of the Faa sons called over, his voice firm. "Especially not for someone who would've robbed us."

Renard's tail curled around his feet.

"There's a group traveling north," Whitley blurted. "Several Faunus are going up the trader roads with a man named Qrow."

"They know how to fight," Weiss cut in. "So, they'd know if a bandit tried stealing from them."

"If I could eat, I wouldn't have to steal anything!" Renard insisted. "Which road is it?"

"When our friends get here, they can tell you," Whitley said. "We'll have to keep you tied until we cast off. You understand, right?"

"Sure do." Renard grinned. "You'd be pretty stupid to release me any sooner. Don't worry. I'll be good till then." He fidgeted a bit. "Wish they'd get here soon. These ropes hurt."

"They'll be here in a little while," Whitley said confidently, sharing a smile with Weiss. Both of them could sense their soulmates drawing closer and closer.

In just a few more hours, they would be on their way to freedom.

…..

Yang was carrying Willow. After nearly an hour of insisting she was fine, the frail woman had finally collapsed. Now, her daughter's soulmate was refusing to put her down until they reached the boat.

"Sorry, ma'am," Yang said brusquely over Willow's protests. "Weiss would never forgive me if I let her mom drop dead before getting to the ship."

"I didn't drop dead," Willow huffed, folding her arms with a very Weiss-like pout. Varian was curled up on Yong Shi's back, talking quietly with Sonja as the spaniel trotted to keep up with the lion.

 _Yet,_ Klein thought. Judging by the scowl Willow shot his way, she had heard. He reached out to touch her arm. "You aren't used to traveling, love. Just let Yang help you. I'd carry you myself if I had the upper body strength." He smiled wryly at Yang. "Truly, you should introduce me to your workout regimen once we're up north."

Yang laughed. "Well, my workout involves beating people up in junkyard rings. I guess I'll have to figure something else out."

She walked in silence as she felt Weiss's changing emotions. Just a few minutes ago, there had been a pang of fear that had nearly caused Yang to drop Willow. It had changed to relief, then something resembling pity. She supposed she'd just have to wait until they got to the dock to find out what had happened. It didn't feel like there was any danger anymore.

Hermes dropped by just long enough to press his cheek to Jaune's and inform the others that Pyrrha was successfully leading the guards away. "Also, Jacques has made a complete spectacle of himself back in Vale, screaming at people to look in every nook and cranny while that awful wolf staggers about." The hawk chuckled. "He's completely unhinged." Normally, he would never laugh at such a thing, but Jacques deserved it so much!

Willow agreed, letting out a surprisingly-harsh bark of laughter at the news. "Serves that fecking bastard right!"

"Willow!" Klein gasped. He had never heard her curse before.

Yang grinned. "That's right. Let it all out!"

"Very well," Willow declared. "I wish I had been with Weiss and Whitley when they escaped, so I could have smashed that wine bottle in his ugly fecking face!"

"And bite off that wolf's ears!" Varian snarled. His eyes were like bright pinpricks.

Yong Shi chuffed gently. "I like the way you think."

Klein chuckled as he got over his shock. "I think I quite like this fierce side of you, my dear."

"So do I!" Willow decided, grinning for what might have been the first time in her life.

Yang felt herself walking faster. They were close to their destination. She could feel it. She glanced at Yong Shi, who was practically skipping alongside her. _Soon, Weiss,_ she thought. _Soon, we'll be together for real._

Ruby also felt the draw to her new soulmate and kept zipping ahead, only to be called back firmly by Jaune. She babbled excitedly to Willow about all the stories she knew about the north. "I hope we get to meet an armored bear!" she gasped. "I heard Winter knows a few."

"Winter? Really?" Willow's eyes shined. "Do you think she'll want to see me?"

"I'm sure she will," Klein assured her.

They had to move a bit off the path and into the trees. The dock the ship would be at was a bit off the beaten path, making it a perfect place to escape from unnoticed.

Ruby started bouncing up and down. "We're close! Can I run now?" she asked Jaune.

Jaune grinned. "Go ahead."

"Yes!" Ruby zipped ahead, winding through the trees as she followed the invisible string that led her back to Whitley. She burst out of the forest, letting out a gasp when she saw the ship waiting for her. This was really happening!

Whitley was already running off the dock to meet her. "Ruby! You arrived safely- Oof!" The wind was promptly knocked out of him as his soulmate tackled him into the dirt while hugging him tightly. "Ugh… I don't have that many outfits, Ruby," he grumbled, even as he hugged her back and their dæmons played excitedly.

Weiss ran to meet them. "I'm glad you're okay, Ruby. Where are the others?"

"Behind me," Ruby explained, helping Whitley up. "Your mom got tired, so Yang's been carrying her."

"For how long?" Weiss gasped.

"Most of the day."

"Of course, she did." Weiss felt another dizzying pulse of love for her soulmate, and turned her attention toward the tree line, where she knew Yang would emerge.

A minute later, Weiss finally saw her beloved soulmate. She hurried over as Willow was stood upright and Varian slid from Yong Shi's back. "Mother, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, dear," Willow said, patting her daughter's cheek. "I could've walked the whole way, but that soulmate of yours insisted on helping me."

Weiss hugged Willow, letting out a happy sigh as her mother hugged her back. Was that a slight hint of strength she could feel in Willow's arms? She hoped so.

She stepped aside to let Whitley greet their mother, and promptly threw herself into Yang's arms, kissing her deeply. "Hello," she murmured against her soulmate's burning lips. At their feet, Anmut and Yong Shi were in a now-familiar tussle.

"Hey," Yang breathed. "Ready to get the hell out of here?"

"Absolutely!"

They stopped by the dock, where Yang was surprised to see a Faunus, who had been tied up until recently, judging by the cut ropes.

The Faunus shook hands with Weiss and Whitley. "Thanks again for going easy on me, kids. Good luck." He turned to Yang. "Hey. Name's Renard. These guys tell me there are some Faunus heading north on one of the trails."

"Yeah." Yang described which trail they would be taking, and where they probably were at this point. "Maybe, we'll see you up north."

"Hope so!" Renard grinned and waved before walking off into the trees.

Yang raised an eyebrow once he was gone. "Making new friends in the wilderness, huh?"

"Something like that," Weiss chuckled. She watched the spot where Renard had disappeared, a pensive look on her face. Not so long ago, just being near the Faunus District had filled her with terror. She really had come a long way since then.

After introductions were made to the Faa family and Willow was taken below deck to rest, the crew began to cast off. Poseidon barked orders at his family and new crew members alike, his old, rough voice easily piercing the air around them.

The sky was a magical shade of sparkling twilight-silver. The air was crisp and invigorating. The wind was on their side.

Weiss gripped Yang's hand as the ship started down the river, unable to keep the smile from her face. This was it. After years of abuse, uncertainty, and resignation, she was free.

She felt a tingle as Yang placed a hand on Anmut, and was quick to bury the fingers of her free hand in Yong Shi's thick mane. She smiled up at her soulmate and kissed her softly.

"Oy!" Poseidon barked. "No kissing on my deck! Get those idle hands to work on the double, lassies!"

Yang and Weiss burst out laughing, and hastened to obey, their hearts soaring as surely as a cloud pine, their dæmons roaring and honking with unrestrained joy.

Jaune, meanwhile, let out a low groan, slumping near the edge of the ship as his legs suddenly gave out. "I…I don't feel so good…"

 **Poor Jaune. Motion sickness is a ghastly curse.**

 **Fun fact: The name Faa comes from John Faa, who is the ruler of the western Gyptians in the book series. He is, in turn, based on a real King of the Gypsies who lived in Scotland during the reign of King James V, also called John Faa or Johnnie Faa.**

 **I'll see you next week with the epilogue!**

 **Peace out!**


	25. Epilogue: The Lion's Love

**Hello, my lovelies. With this chapter, we are finally done with this AU. I hope you guys have enjoyed this story. As I've said, please read Philip Pullman's** _ **His Dark Materials**_ **. It is seriously awesome!**

 **Enjoy!**

The smell of frost, cloud pines, and oilcloth filled the air as the waters turned frigid and the lands became whiter and bleaker. To many, this would be a sign of despair. The coldness that seemed to pierce the very marrow and travel through every blood vessel would seem like something to reject and hate.

Weiss couldn't get enough of it! She was clad in an oiled seal skin coat that warded off the cold better than any "prissy, fancy fake-coats," as Poseidon Faa called the more commercial cold-weather products they had run across. He had only insisted on the best for his passengers. Weiss's hands were also buried in mittens lined with wolf fur, which Whitley had bought her at one of their previous stops.

She was huddled close to Yang, enjoying a rare moment of reprieve. Over the past few weeks, her hands had developed hard callouses, and lean muscles had started to form on her arms and legs. Whitley had grown too, though he had taken more of a liking to kitchen duties and the cleaning of weapons and leather rather than the more rigorous physical labor that occupied Weiss's time.

The group had long since been divided into three boats, with Jaune, Ruby, and Whitley on one, Willow and Klein on another, and Yang and Weiss remaining with the main Faa clan. The easy banter that spread from boat to boat, and the communal meals that were sometimes shared when several families tied their boats together, was enough to fill the Schnees with a sense of familial belonging that they had never before felt.

Now, Weiss found that part of her regretted the nearing end of their journey. She would miss the Gyptians, and the simple labor of being on a ship.

Yang squeezed her shoulder, silently communicating her agreement. "There will be more to do on land, though," she reasoned. "And more room to move around. That'll be nice." Yong Shi rumbled in agreement. The large dæmon had not taken to boat life at all, though he certainly was doing better than poor Jaune, who still got seasick after all this time.

A familiar screech echoed through the sky before Hermes alighted on the rim of the boat near the pair. "Hello, again!"

"Hey, Hermes," Yang greeted. "How soon before we reach the shore?"

"You'll be there by evening," Hermes said. "Weiss, I think you'll like what's waiting for you there. Or, should I say who?"

Weiss gasped. There was only one person who could be waiting for her in the north. "Winter?"

Hermes nodded. "She's very eager to see you again. Also, Yang, I saw your father's group nearing the ferry service. They should arrive two days after you."

"That's great!" Yang smiled, glad to hear that she'd get to see her father and other friends again soon.

"I'd better check on the others," Hermes said. "Pyrrha hopes to meet with you once you're all settled in. Remember, look for the Snow Lotus and ask for the owners, Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie."

"Got it. Thanks!" Yang waved to Hermes as he flew off, then touched a kiss to Weiss's cheek. "You ready?"

"I…hope so…" Weiss said, suddenly feeling a bit unsure.

Yang frowned, sensing the confused feelings settling into her soulmate. "What's wrong?"

"What if… What if I haven't…" She trailed off, trying to put her thoughts into words. Thankfully, Yang quickly sensed what she was thinking.

"Of course, you'll be good enough for your sister! What even makes you think she'll be anything less than proud of you?!" Yang gasped. "If I was separated from Ruby and found out she did all the stuff you did, the first thing I'd do after hugging her half to death would be to get down on one knee and declare her my superior in all things!"

Weiss managed a faint smile. "Winter is very different from you. She was always…sparing with her affection, and much stricter than most people due to Father's influence."

"You haven't seen her in years," Yang said flatly. "If she isn't affectionate with her long-lost baby sister, I'll be very concerned. And angry."

"Don't get into a fight with my sister, Yang," Weiss scolded gently.

Yang moved closer. "Well, if I was suitably distracted…" They started to lean closer.

"OY!" Poseidon barked suddenly, causing them to spring apart. "By the Sea, how many times have I told you about kissing on my deck, huh?"

Yang just grinned. She knew by now that the old man was just messing with them. "Aw, come on. Even you gotta see how romantic it is up here."

"The high quality of your ship lends greatly to that," Weiss supplied, winking obviously.

"Ah, to hell with you lassies," Faa snorted, though there was a friendly twinkle in his eye. "Enjoy the rest while you can. I can smell land approaching."

Sure enough, the northern continent soon came into sight. Yang and Weiss didn't have much time to enjoy the view, as they were put back to work on the deck. As the ship came into dock, however, Weiss nearly dropped the rope she was holding when she saw a tall figure waiting for the ship to come in.

The person was tall, clad in practical sealskin clothing, and had a snowy owl dæmon perched on her shoulder. Even before the ship was tethered and Weiss leaped from it, she knew who it was.

"Winter!" she cried, throwing her arms around her sister.

There was a pause, though it wasn't the pause of a person who wasn't ready to give affection. Rather, it was the pause of a person who had never thought this moment would come. Slowly, shakily, Winter's arms came up and wrapped gently around her sister.

Weiss stepped back after a moment, because she simply had to look at her sister's face. She had changed so much, but enough things were still the same: the pulled-up white hair, the keen, blue-gray eyes, the sharp angles of her face.

What was incredibly different, and not at all from Weiss's memories, was that Winter's cheeks were red and there were tears leaking from her usually-cold eyes.

"Weiss?" she whispered, the name coming out as more of a question as she tried to equate the young woman in front of her with the child she had left behind so long ago.

"Yes!" Weiss said, beaming as she reached up to wipe her sister's cheek. "It's me! Oh, I have so much to tell you!"

Winter's owl dæmon had fluttered from her shoulder and was getting reacquainted with Anmut, who couldn't stop flapping his wings and honking with excitement.

After a moment, Winter regained her composure and straightened her back. "I expect you have done all of your duties on the ship before jumping onto the dock like an uncivilized ruffian."

Yang, who had just climbed down from the ship herself, gaped as she heard Winter's snappy words. Yong Shi bristled and growled quietly.

Weiss just smiled. "Of course, Winter. Poseidon Faa dismissed me. I will be saying goodbye to him before he casts off in the next few hours."

"Good," Winter said, smiling slightly. Though they were no longer hugging, she kept on hand on Weiss's shoulder, half afraid that her sister would vanish if she didn't hold on, foolish though that thought was. "Now, I assume that this is your soulmate. Would you introduce me?"

"Gladly!" Weiss beckoned Yang over eagerly. "Yang, this is my sister, Winter. Winter, this is my soulmate, Yang Xiao Long."

They shook hands. "You have a firm grip," Winter noted with approval. "I hope the journey wasn't too difficult."

"Not for me," Yang said, her easy grin returning as she was able to recognize this woman's unique, but genuine form of affection. "Jaune had it rough, though. Never did get over his seasickness."

Winter grimaced. "If he's still feeling ill, I can recommend a place nearby that sells an imported tea that will help him."

"Sounds great!" Yang glanced toward the next dock. "Here they come, now."

Weiss grabbed Winter's hand, leading her toward her friends. She noticed a tenseness in Winter's expression as she looked at the approaching people. "What is it?"

"Is that…?" Winter trailed off, her eyes on the tall, white-haired boy with the fox dæmon, who was helping a sickly young man off the ship.

"Yes," Weiss affirmed. "That's our brother. Mother will be on her way once their ship comes in." She frowned. "I thought Hermes told you."

"He did," Winter murmured. "I just…" She shook her head before asking: "Do they want to see me, Weiss?" Her voice was rough, raw, and vulnerable.

"Do they- Why on earth wouldn't they?" Weiss gasped. "Winter, we all understand why you had to leave when you did. We just went through that fight ourselves. It's a miracle that we're all together. Why would we be anything but happy?"

Winter took a slightly-hitched breath. "You never lost your childhood optimism, did you?"

Whitley was half-carrying Jaune as Ruby zipped over. "Hey! Help me with him, would you?" he gasped.

Ruby grinned sheepishly. "Sorry." She grabbed Jaune's other arm. "Hi, Yang!"

"Hey, sis," Yang replied.

Whitley's eyes fell on the woman next to Weiss, and he stopped short, his own expression clouding with uncertainty. Demetria's tail lashed nervously as she eyed the snowy owl.

After a moment, Winter stepped forward, her stiff demeanor and posture back in place. "Hello, brother," she greeted. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Whitley nodded a little stiffly. "Likewise, I'm sure."

Weiss frowned at the slightly cold reception between the two. Yang placed a hand on her shoulder, silently reassuring her. Whitley and Winter didn't know each other, after all. An instant familial connection was a little too much to ask for just then, especially with all the other things to think about.

The awkwardness of Winter and Whitley's meeting was quickly overcome when a joyful shout came from the last ship. Willow and Varian hurried down the dock, the frailness of before long gone with the journey, Klein and Sonja stumbling to keep up.

"Winter!" she called, nearly tripping on her way to her oldest daughter. She fell forward and was caught by Winter, who ended up falling to her knees with her.

"Mother…?" Winter breathed, staring at the vibrant, beautiful woman who had been a mere shadow of a person back when she had left.

Willow nodded, cupping her daughter's face in her hands. "Look at you!" she breathed.

Winter wrapped her arms around her mother, pulling her close, sobbing quietly into her shoulder. All of her inner walls came crashing down in the face of her mother's open smile and immediate acceptance. "I'm sorry, Mother," she whispered. "I'm sorry I left you."

"Shh," Willow breathed, tears streaming down her own cheeks. "You were right to leave. You have nothing to apologize for. I'm sorry I didn't protect you from that monster."

"You couldn't have!" Winter protested. "How could you have done anything without getting hurt yourself?" She hugged her tighter. "Don't you dare feel guilty for that, Mother! Please!"

Klein stood near the two as they talked quietly. Winter quickly regained her composure and helped her mother up, glancing around a little self-consciously.

Weiss and the others, meanwhile, said farewell to the Faa clan. Poseidon pulled all of them into warm bear hugs, one by one. "I'll miss you lot," he grumbled. "Make sure to look for me the next time we trade here, and send messages with Pyrrha when you can."

"We will," Weiss promised. "Thank you for everything!"

"Our pleasure, lass. Our pleasure," he murmured.

After saying goodbye to everyone else, the group set off for the inn, stopping briefly to get some tea for poor Jaune's upset stomach. Eliana was so woozy, she kept swaying on his shoulder.

The Snow Lotus was a large but cozy establishment, boasting a strange but gorgeous blend of rustic northern architecture and decoration, and a more delicate style that was likely oriental in origin. Weiss was eying a nearby sculpture, which showed a mighty grizzly bear on its hind legs, holding a single lotus flower delicately in its large paws.

"Excuse me," Winter called in a sharp voice. "Are Lie Ren or Nora Valkyrie here? I'm with the party from the south, here on recommendation of Pyrrha Nikos!"

The workers immediately bustled around, calling for the owners. Within minutes, two people stepped out of the strangely-orderly crowd of patrons and workers that shifted from one place to the next in a never-ending bustle of domestic activity.

One was a young man of eastern descent, with long black hair and eyes of an unusual magenta color. He carried himself with a sense of calm grace that drastically contrasted with the lively weasel dæmon that kept scuttling from shoulder to shoulder.

His partner, whose arm was linked firmly with his, was a short, freckled woman with electric turquoise eyes, ginger hair, and an infectious smile. The dæmon she carried was an emerald-green snake that wound around her neck and inspected the new guests with dark, unblinking eyes.

Jaune guessed the truth immediately. "Soulmates?" he asked with a grin.

The woman giggled as she gazed adoringly up at her soulmate. "How'd you guess?"

The man bowed slightly, forcing the weasel dæmon to pause in his scrambling and cling to his shirt. "Pyrrha likely told you, but I am Lie Ren. This is my wife and soulmate, Nora Valkyrie. Welcome to the Snow Lotus. Pyrrha has made all of the necessary arrangements. This will be your home for as long as you need it, until you can find your own dwelling."

"Or, you can just live here forever," Nora added. "I already know I'm gonna like you, and we _definitely_ need more workers!"

She noticed the traces of green around Jaune's cheeks. "Oh, seasick, huh? Let's get you by the fire." She let the snake slither back to her soulmate's arm and took back her own dæmon before leading Jaune to a cozy stone hearth and sitting him down on one of the benches. "How about some potato soup? It's super gentle on the stomach."

Weiss and Yang followed Ren to what would be their room. They were told that dinner would be in an hour, then the door was closed, leaving them in sudden silence.

Yang sat down heavily on one of the beds, groaning loudly. "Whoa." She fell back with a sigh, closing her eyes as the fluffy blankets and comfy mattress welcomed her aching body in a warm, enfolding embrace. "Feels like forever since we got a moment of quiet. I'll never get the sound of the ocean out of my ears."

Weiss giggled, sitting down next to her, internally sighing at the softness of the bed, especially compared to the cots they had slept on for the past while. "It wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Nah." Yang grinned. "Just crowded." She pulled Weiss down to lay next to her. "I like this a lot better." She slipped a cold hand under Weiss's shirt, delighting in the shiver this caused. Her intentions were not-so-subtly conveyed through both her actions and the soulbond.

Weiss blushed, abruptly aware of the fact that they were alone for the first time in months, with a little less than an hour to spare. Quickly, she got up to lock the door, then hurried back to her soulmate's side. Yong Shi and Anmut were already tangled together, gladly reigniting the passion that had remained dormant, but burning hot over the course of their long journey.

In the aftermath, they lay together, cuddled up under the covers, their dæmons dozing at the foot of the bed. Weiss combed her fingers gently through Yang's hair, marveling once again at the fact that she didn't have to hurry back to the Manor or sneak through a dark town. She could just be with Yang and enjoy being with Yang. She knew that, no matter how much time passed, she would never grow tired of this feeling.

She felt safe. She felt happy. She felt loved, without condition.

There was a knock at the door. "Dinner in ten, you guys," Jaune's voice called. He didn't bother trying the doorknob. He already knew it would be locked.

"Coming," Yang called, though she didn't get up right away. Instead, she nuzzled a kiss into Weiss's hair, which fanned out like the rays of an icy sun on the blankets. "You're ridiculously gorgeous. Have I told you that, lately?"

Weiss blushed, combing her fingers through her soulmate's thick, golden locks and watching those lavender eyes drift shut. "Look who's talking." She got up reluctantly, her cheeks darkening as she felt Yang's obvious appreciation of her nude form.

"Oh, stop staring and get dressed for dinner," she snapped.

Yang snickered as she got up. "Okay, okay." Once they were dressed, she pulled Weiss into another hug, relishing the closeness of her soulmate and a welcome lack of the urgency that had plagued all of their meetings back in Vale. "I love you," she murmured.

"I love you too," Weiss replied, smiling up at Yang. "But, you should probably let go if we want to eat dinner." As she was reluctantly released from the hug, she slipped her hand into Yang's, squeezing it gently, silently reminding her that they wouldn't be separated anymore, that they had all the time in the world to be happy together.

Yang threaded their fingers together and smiled down at the woman who had brought so much change and so much joy to her life. Together, they exited their room and went to where their friends were waiting.

They paused at the sight of everyone else seated at a round table, being served warm cider, crusty bread, and a hearty fish stew. Jaune, who had recovered from his seasickness, was sitting next to Pyrrha, who had just flown in a few minutes ago. Hermes and Eliana were talking quietly on a nearby perch.

Whitley was sampling the stew while Ruby quizzed Winter on the armored bears. "Can I actually meet one?" she was gasping.

"Yes," Winter replied. "General Ironwood is a well-respected warrior, and an old friend of mine. Just try not to be too hyper when you see him. They find such attitudes taxing."

"Oh, I'll tone it down!" Ruby promised, her silver eyes wide and excited.

Willow was sitting with Klein, who was chatting with Ren about a potential job in the kitchen. "I do have prior experience, after all."

Nora noticed Yang and Weiss, and hurried over. "Have a seat!" she invited cheerfully. "Eat all you want! After dinner, we'll have some music from a local group. Maybe afterward, you can tell us some stories. The people here love stories."

"I have one story," Weiss remarked, smiling up at Yang. "It's a long one, and it's a bit sad in some parts, but it's a good one."

Nora nodded, a look of solemn understanding coming to her face. "I've got one of those, too. So do most of the people here." She patted Weiss's shoulder. "The best thing is that none of those stories are over yet!"

Weiss sat down with her mother on one side, Yang on the other, and thought about Nora's words. It was true. Her story hadn't ended with her escape from her father, the attack in the Faunus District, or even her first sight of Yang. Those were all mere parts of a much greater puzzle, one so abstract and confusing, no one could possibly guess what it would look like.

The entire rest of her life was beginning right now, with her friends, family, and soulmate, in this wonderful inn that may or may not become their home over time.

"Home." Weiss smiled, leaning against Yang. That was a word she loved every bit as much as "freedom."

Yang kissed Weiss's head and passed her a mug of cider. _Welcome home, Weiss,_ she thought.

Weiss heard the words through their soulbond loud and clear. At her feet, Anmut was snuggled up against Yong Shi, who had curled protectively around the swan and was purring loudly.

She kissed Yang's cheek and smiled at her friends as she nestled closer to her soulmate. The powerful drum of Yang's heartbeat thudded loudly against her whole body, wrapping around her and filling her with promise after promise of a bright future for both of them. For _all_ of them.

 _Welcome home._

 **October is coming to an end, which means that my hiatus is coming up. During my time away from FF, I intend to type out the rest of "Wings of Dust" as well as original works that will be posted on my P/atreon, which will go through a major makeover. Unlike before, I won't give a time mark as to how long I'll be gone. To avoid the issues I've had with shrinking backlogs, I'm going to remain on hiatus until everything is finished. When I start preparations for my return, you'll absolutely hear about it.**

 **You may catch me occasionally posting fics for other fandoms, as my brain may need a break while I'm working. "Wings of Dust" will be my last major fanfiction project, and likely my last** _ **RWBY**_ **fic. After that, FF will be something I use only for fun.**

 **Thanks again for your support, everyone.**

 **Peace out!**


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